Question

Scenes of outer space explosions in movies are often accompanied by a loud sound. Which of the following best describes why a scene like this is not realistic?
A.
Sound is not produced when something explodes in air.
B.
Sound cannot produce vibrations.
C.
Sound can travel through a vacuum.
D.
Sound needs a medium through which it can be transmitted.

Answer 1

D.

Sound is a mechanical wave that requires a material medium (gas, liquid or solid) to travel. Outer space is essentially a vacuum, so pressure waves from an explosion cannot propagate as sound there.