Multiple Choice Question

Question

A student performs an experiment where he sends sound waves from the air through a solid, a liquid, and a gas. He records the speed of the wave traveling through each medium but forgets to label each medium. The table shows his observations.

Medium Speed Before (m/s)
X 972
Y 1,483
Z 5,940

The student knows that sound travels through room temperature air at 343 m/s. Based on the student's results, which medium is the solid, the liquid, and the gas?
A.
X is the gas, Y is the liquid, and Z is the solid.

B.
X is the liquid, Y is the gas, and Z is the solid.

C.
X is the solid, Y is the liquid, and Z is the gas.

D.
X is the gas, Y is the solid, and Z is the liquid.

Answer 1

To determine which medium corresponds to each speed, we need to understand how sound travels in different states of matter. Generally, sound travels fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases due to the density and elasticity of the media.

Given the speeds recorded:

• Medium X: 972 m/s
• Medium Y: 1,483 m/s
• Medium Z: 5,940 m/s

Now we compare these speeds to typical sound speeds in various media:

• Sound travels through gases (like air) at about 343 m/s (this is the reference point; we expect higher speeds for liquids and solids).
• Sound travels through water (a common liquid) at about 1,480 m/s.
• Sound travels through solids (such as steel) at significantly higher speeds, often exceeding 5,000 m/s, depending on the solid material.

Based on this information:

• Medium Z (5,940 m/s) is the solid.
• Medium Y (1,483 m/s) is the liquid.
• Medium X (972 m/s) is the gas.

Thus, the correct answer is:

A. X is the gas, Y is the liquid, and Z is the solid.