Explain the propagation of sound in solids. [3 Mark]
Sound is nothing more than a disturbance propagated by the collisions between the particles, one molecule hitting the next and so forth. [1 Mark]
Solids are significantly denser than liquids or gases, and this means that the molecules are closer to each other in solids than in liquids and liquids than in gases. This closeness due to density means that they can collide very quickly. Effectively it takes less time for a molecule of a solid to bump into its neighbouring molecule. Due to this advantage, the velocity of sound in a solid is faster than in a gas. [1 Mark]
The speed of sound in steel is equal to 5100 metres per second. Another interesting fact about the speed of sound is that sound travels 35 times faster in diamonds than in the air. [1 Mark]
Sound is nothing more than a disturbance propagated by the collisions between the particles, one molecule hitting the next and so forth. [1 Mark]
Solids are significantly denser than liquids or gases, and this means that the molecules are closer to each other in solids than in liquids and liquids than in gases. This closeness due to density means that they can collide very quickly. Effectively it takes less time for a molecule of a solid to bump into its neighbouring molecule. Due to this advantage, the velocity of sound in a solid is faster than in a gas. [1 Mark]
The speed of sound in steel is equal to 5100 metres per second. Another interesting fact about the speed of sound is that sound travels 35 times faster in diamonds than in the air. [1 Mark]
