Sound Waves Travel Through Solids, Liquids, and Gases

​Sound Waves Travel Through

Solids, Liquids, and Gases

You can hear sounds all around you. Sound waves travel through different mediums. A medium is the matter through which a wave travels. So, sound waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases

Just like light waves, sound waves travel at various speeds. The speed they travel at depends on the medium they are traveling through. Do you think sound waves move faster through solids, liquids, or gases?

Well, let's think about it. You hear sounds traveling through the air, a gas, all the time. But, animals in the ocean communicate with each other, so sounds travel through a liquid. And, I can hear my baby sister screaming through my door, a solid, even when it's closed. So, you know sound travels through all three-solids, liquids, and gases, but I'll bet you will be surprised to hear that sound travels fastest through solids! Sound waves move slowest through gases. Sound waves also travel at different speeds depending on the temperature of the medium. Sound waves travel faster in warm mediums and slower in cold mediums.

​Vocabulary:

medium - the matter through

which a wave travels

​gas

​liquid

Multiple Choice

Sound waves travel through different mediums.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Sound waves travel slowest through solids.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Sound waves cannot travel through liquid.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The speed of a sound wave depends on the medium it travels through.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Sound waves travel faster in cold mediums than warm mediums.

• True

• False

Open Ended

What is a medium?

Multiple Choice

Will sound travel faster through warm water or cold water?

• It will travel faster through warm water.

• It will travel faster through cold water.