- #1
Crazyevox
- 12
- 0
I thought sound always travels faster in a denser medium - For eg, it travels faster in water than in air. And I believe that's because the molecules are packed closer together, so the vibrations are transferred faster between them, hence more speed.
But then why does sound travel in less dense, warmer air than in dense cold air? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the speed of sound increase if you cool down a solid or liquid (because density increases)?
I've heard of this equation that says the speed of sound is proportional to gas temperature and inversely proportional to its molar mass. So what is it with gases that reverses this "more density=more speed" phenomenon you would normally find in liquids and solids?
So if we had a graph that plotted the speed of sound vs temperature of the substance, what kind of trend would we get? How would this trend differ with different states of matter - gases, liquids and solids?
thanks
But then why does sound travel in less dense, warmer air than in dense cold air? Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the speed of sound increase if you cool down a solid or liquid (because density increases)?
I've heard of this equation that says the speed of sound is proportional to gas temperature and inversely proportional to its molar mass. So what is it with gases that reverses this "more density=more speed" phenomenon you would normally find in liquids and solids?
So if we had a graph that plotted the speed of sound vs temperature of the substance, what kind of trend would we get? How would this trend differ with different states of matter - gases, liquids and solids?
thanks