A science student conducts an investigation to compare the speed of light waves to sound waves traveling through different mediums. She sends the same light and sound waves from the air through the same solid, liquid, and gas. She records the speed of each wave as it travels through each medium. Which data table most likely demonstrates her results?(1 point)

Question

responses
medium speed of light (km/s) speed of sound (m/s)
solid 299,700 343
liquid 225,000 1,484
gas 200,000 4,540

medium speed of light (km/s) speed of sound (m/s)
solid 4,540 200,000
liquid 1,484 225,000
gas 343 299,700

medium speed of light (km/s) speed of sound (m/s)
solid 200,000 4,450
liquid 225,000 1,484
gas 299,700 343

medium speed of light (km/s) speed of sound (m/s)
solid 343 299,700
liquid 1,484 225,000
gas 4,450 200,000

Answer 1

To determine which data table most likely demonstrates the results of the student's investigation comparing the speed of light and sound waves through different mediums, we need to consider the typical behavior of these waves in solids, liquids, and gases.

1. Speed of Light: Light travels fastest in a vacuum and slows down when passing through a medium, with speeds decreasing as the density of the medium increases. Generally, light travels fastest in gases, slower in liquids, and slowest in solids.

2. Speed of Sound: Sound travels fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases.

Based on this understanding, the ideal table should show:

• Highest speed of light in gases,
• Slower speed of light in liquids,
• Slowest speed of light in solids,
• Highest speed of sound in solids,
• Slower speed of sound in liquids,
• Slowest speed of sound in gases.

Let's analyze the provided options:

1. Option 1:

   • solid: light 299,700 km/s (too fast; light cannot be this fast in a solid)
   • liquid: light 225,000 km/s (also too fast)
   • gas: light 200,000 km/s (still too fast)

2. Option 2:

   • solid: light 4,540 km/s (too slow for light in a solid)
   • liquid: light 1,484 km/s (too slow)
   • gas: light 343 km/s (too slow)

3. Option 3:

   • solid: light 200,000 km/s (too high for a solid medium)
   • liquid: light 225,000 km/s (also too high)
   • gas: light 299,700 km/s (too high)

4. Option 4:

   • solid: light 343 km/s (too slow for light in a solid)
   • liquid: light 1,484 km/s (not reasonable)
   • gas: light 4,450 km/s (too high)

None of the options present a completely accurate representation of the behavior of light and sound waves through the respective mediums.

However, since the typical experimental speed of light in a vacuum is approximately 300,000 km/s, the speeds in solid and liquid should be lower than those usual values but still significantly faster than sound in the same mediums.

The most reasonable table, although it still has inaccuracies, is likely Option 3, where light speeds surpass sound speeds although nominally. Despite some contradictions to known physics (like the numbers presented), it adheres to a pattern showing the decrease of light speed as it travels from gas to solid, which is essential in this comparison.

If you're looking purely at structure, this one is the closest to being plausible in the context given.