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Speed of Sound Waves
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The speed of sound represents how far a sound wave travels in
a given amount of time.
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Wave speed is a measurement of how fast a wave passes through a medium
from particle to particle. The more tightly bound to each other the molecules
of a substance are, the faster the wave will travel through that substance.
Since particles in a solid are bound to each other more tightly than particles
in a liquid or gas, waves travel fastest through a solid and slowest
through a gas.
The speed at which a sound wave moves depends on two things: the
medium through which the wave travels and the temperature of the medium.
This phenomena is supported by the data in the charts below. This data
represents the wave speeds in different phases and types of media.
Speed of Sound Waves in Gases
Gas
Temperature (°C)
Speed (m/s)
carbon dioxide
0
259
oxygen
0
316
air
0
331
air
20
343
Note in the table above that sound travels more slowly in colder air. This is
because cold air is denser than warmer air, but the air molecules are no
more tightly bound in cold air than warm air.
Speed of Sound Waves in Liquids
Liquid
Temperature (°C)
Speed (m/s)
chloroform
20
1004
ethanol
20
1162
mercury
20
1450
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Study Island Lesson
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Liquid
water
Temperature (°C)
20
Speed (m/s)
1482
Speed of Sound Waves in Solids
Substance
Speed (m/s)
lead
1960
copper
5010
glass
5640
steel
5960
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