In general, sound waves fly the fastest through solids, then liquids, and finally gases. The table below shows the speed of sound in various media. The medium is the matter in which the waves pass. Sound waves are mechanical waves that can only pass through matter.

In any medium, as we increase the temperature, the speed of sound increases. The speed of sound decreases when we go from a solid to a gaseous state. The speed of sound depends on the properties of the medium through which it travels. Sound travels 4 times faster in water (1,482 meters per second) and around 13 times faster through steel (4,512 meters per second). At this rate sound will travel one mile in around five seconds. The distance traveled per unit time by a sound wave propagating through a medium is referred to as the speed of sound.Īt 20 ☌, the speed of sound in air is 343.2 m/s, which corresponds to 1,236 km/h. The speed of sound is an important parameter in many fields of physics. As a result, as the temperature rises, so does the speed of sound. Temperature of the medium: The temperature of the medium and the frequency of the sound waves are strictly proportional.As a result, as the density of the medium increases, so does the speed of sound. When the medium is thick, the molecules in the medium are tightly packed, causing sound to propagate further. Density of the medium: There is a need of medium for sound waves to travel, and the density of the medium is assumed to be one of the influences on which the speed of sound depends.ISRO CS Syllabus for Scientist/Engineer Exam.ISRO CS Original Papers and Official Keys.GATE CS Original Papers and Official Keys.

Speed of sound in miles