Of the following materials, sound waves travel fastest through...?
Helium at room temperature
Air at room temperature
Water at room temperature
Steel at room temperature
steel, of course. Molecules are dense, closely linked, propagate wave energy quickly.
To find out which of these materials sound waves travel fastest through, we need to compare their speeds of sound.
When it comes to the speed of sound, it generally depends on the medium's properties, such as its density and elasticity. In general, sound travels fastest through materials that are less dense and more elastic.
Let's compare the given materials:
1. Helium at room temperature: Helium is the least dense gas and has high elasticity, which allows sound waves to travel very quickly through it. So, sound waves would travel fastest through helium compared to the other options.
2. Air at room temperature: Air is less dense than solids or liquids, but more dense than helium. Therefore, sound waves would travel faster through air compared to liquids and solids, but slower than through helium.
3. Water at room temperature: Water is denser than air but less dense than steel. Although water is more elastic than steel, its density slows down the speed of sound compared to air or helium.
4. Steel at room temperature: Steel is a solid and has high density, which slows down the speed of sound. While steel is very elastic, its density makes sound waves travel slower through it compared to the other materials.
In conclusion, sound waves travel fastest through helium at room temperature among the given materials.