* Sound: Sound travels as vibrations through a medium (like air, water, or solids). The speed of sound is determined by the properties of that medium (density, elasticity, etc.).
* Light: Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation and travels as waves, but it doesn't need a medium to travel. The speed of light in a vacuum is a fundamental constant of the universe.
Here's the breakdown:
* Speed of sound in air: Approximately 343 meters per second (767 miles per hour)
* Speed of light in a vacuum: Approximately 299,792,458 meters per second (670,616,629 miles per hour)
As you can see, the speed of light is significantly faster than the speed of sound. This is why you see lightning before you hear thunder – light travels much faster than sound.
