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  • Sound Speed: Why Faster in Solids & Liquids?
    The statement that sounds travel quickly through solids and liquids but not gases is not entirely accurate. While it's true that sound travels faster in solids and liquids compared to gases, it's not that sound doesn't travel through gases, it simply travels slower.

    Here's why:

    * Sound as Vibrations: Sound travels as vibrations that propagate through a medium. These vibrations cause molecules in the medium to bump into each other, transferring energy.

    * Density and Molecular Spacing: Solids and liquids have much denser packing of molecules than gases. This means the molecules are closer together, enabling quicker transfer of energy through vibrations.

    * Stiffness: Solids are generally much stiffer than liquids and gases. This means they resist deformation more strongly, allowing sound waves to travel with less energy loss.

    Here's a table summarizing the speed of sound in different mediums:

    | Medium | Speed of Sound (m/s) |

    |---|---|

    | Air (20°C) | 343 |

    | Water (20°C) | 1482 |

    | Steel | 5960 |

    Therefore, the speed of sound is dependent on the density and stiffness of the medium. Gases, with their lower density and weaker intermolecular forces, allow sound to travel slower than in solids and liquids.

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