When a sound wave passes through a medium, the particles in the medium vibrate in response to the wave. The vibrations of the particles cause them to move closer together and farther apart, creating regions of high and low pressure. These regions of high and low pressure travel through the medium at the speed of sound, carrying the sound wave with them.

The denser the medium, the faster the sound wave travels. This is because the particles in a denser medium are more closely packed together and can therefore transfer the energy of the sound wave more quickly. The temperature of the medium also affects the speed of sound. Sound waves travel faster in warmer media because the particles in the medium have more energy and can therefore move more quickly.

Sound waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases. However, the speed of sound is different in each type of medium. Sound waves travel fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases.