Material
Speed
(meters/second)
Density
(kg/m3)
air 330 1.20
water 1,500 1000
glass 5,100 2,500
Which conclusion can be drawn based on the information in the table?
A.
Sound travels faster in glass because it has a lower density than the other materials.
B.
Sound travels faster in glass because it has a higher density than the other materials.
C.
Sound travels slower in water because it has a lower density than the other materials.
D.
Sound travels slower in air because it has a higher density than the other materials.
1 answer
The correct conclusion based on the information in the table is:
B. Sound travels faster in glass because it has a higher density than the other materials.
This conclusion may seem counterintuitive, but generally, the speed of sound in solids (like glass) is higher than in liquids (like water) and gases (like air). Although glass has a higher density than air and water, it also has a greater stiffness (bulk modulus), which contributes to the faster propagation of sound waves.
