Sound waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases because they require a medium made of particles to vibrate and transmit the sound energy.
- In solids, particles are tightly packed, allowing sound waves to travel fastest and more efficiently by vibrating particles in the same direction as the wave (longitudinal waves). Examples include sound traveling through wood, metal, or the strings of musical instruments
- In liquids, particles are less tightly packed than in solids but closer than in gases, so sound travels slower than in solids but faster than in gases. This is why you can hear sounds underwater
- In gases, such as air, particles are far apart, so sound travels slowest compared to solids and liquids. This is the most common medium for sound waves reaching our ears
Sound cannot travel through a vacuum because there are no particles to vibrate and transmit the sound energy. This is why space is silent despite many events occurring there
. In summary, sound waves travel through any medium that has particles—solids, liquids, and gases—but not through empty space (vacuum)
