Questions: Sound Properties and the Speed of Sound
3 questions to test your understanding
Score: 0 / 3
Question 1 Multiple Choice
In which medium does sound travel fastest?
AAir
BWater
CSteel
DVacuum
Sound travels fastest in solids like steel (~5,960 m/s) because the tightly packed particles transmit vibrations very efficiently. It cannot travel in a vacuum at all.
Question 2 True / False
Sound can travel through outer space.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
Sound is a mechanical wave that requires a medium (matter) to propagate. Outer space is essentially a vacuum with too few particles to carry sound waves.
Question 3 Short Answer
You see lightning and hear the thunder 3 seconds later. Approximately how far away was the lightning strike? (Speed of sound ≈ 340 m/s)
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: About 1,020 meters (roughly 1 km), because distance = speed × time = 340 × 3 = 1,020 m.
Light reaches you almost instantly. The thunder takes 3 seconds at 340 m/s, so the strike was 340 × 3 = 1,020 m away. This is the basis of the 'count the seconds' rule.