Asked by MARK

ead the passage and answer the following question(s).



Speed of Light and Sound Waves



A student investigates the speed of waves through different materials. The student knows that sound is a mechanical wave that travels on longitudinal waves, while light is an electromagnetic radiation that travels on a transverse wave. A sound and light wave are shown.



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The student measures the speed of sound as it passes through three different materials. The type of material, density of the material, and speed of sound as it passes through each material are recorded in the data table.


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The student then measures the speed of light through the same materials and records the data in the table.


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Which statement BEST describes how an increase in the density of a material affects the speed of light and sound?


The speed of both waves decrease.


The speed of both waves increases.


The speed of light increases but the speed of sound decreases.


The speed of light decreases but the speed of sound increases.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
The speed of light decreases but the speed of sound increases.

Reason: In the table the denser materials transmit sound faster (solids > liquids > gases) because sound speed depends on the medium's stiffness and density (v ≈ √(elastic modulus/ρ)), and stiffer, denser materials give higher sound speeds. Light, however, travels more slowly in denser materials because they have higher refractive indices, so the speed of light in the material decreases as density increases.