Asked by fgs b

Which best explains why sound travels fastest through a solid?

Sound is a mechanical wave, so closer molecules in the medium cause energy to transfer faster.
Sound is a mechanical wave, so if the volume of the medium is greater, more energy is transferred.
Sound is an electromagnetic wave, so the medium does not affect the speed.
Sound is an electromagnetic wave, so a greater amplitude results in a greater speed.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
"Sound is a mechanical wave, so closer molecules in the medium cause energy to transfer faster."

Brief explanation: sound propagation depends on how quickly neighboring particles can influence each other — determined by the medium's stiffness (elastic modulus) and density. Solids have particles closer together and much higher stiffness, so v ≈ sqrt(elastic modulus/density) is larger in solids, giving the fastest sound speed.