A science student conducts an investigation to compare the speed of light waves to sound waves traveling through different mediums. She sends the same light and sound waves from the air through the same solid, liquid, and gas. She records the speed of each wave as it travels through each medium.

Question

A science student conducts an investigation to compare the speed of light waves to sound waves traveling through different mediums. She sends the same light and sound waves from the air through the same solid, liquid, and gas. She records the speed of each wave as it travels through each medium.

Which data table most likely demonstrates her results? (1 point)

A. Medium:
Solid
Liquid
Gas

Speed of light (km/s) :
200,000
225,000
299,700

Speed of sound (m/s) :
4,540
1,484
343

B. Medium:
Solid
Liquid
Gas

Speed of light (km/s) :
4,540
1,484
343

Speed of sound (m/s) :
200,000
225,000
299,700

C. Medium:
Solid
Liquid
Gas

Speed of light (km/s) :
343
1,484
4,540

Speed of sound (m/s) :
299,700
225,000
200,000

D. Medium:
Solid
Liquid
Gas

Speed of light (km/s) :
299,700
225,000
200,000

Speed of sound (m/s) :
343
1,484
4,540

Answer 1

The correct answer is A. Medium: Solid, Liquid, Gas Speed of light (km/s): 200,000, 225,000, 299,700 Speed of sound (m/s): 4,540, 1,484, 343. This table shows the speed of light increasing as it travels through the different mediums (solid, liquid, gas), which is consistent with the understanding that light travels fastest in a vacuum and slower in denser mediums. Similarly, the speed of sound decreases as it travels through the different mediums, which is also consistent with the understanding that sound travels fastest in solids and slowest in gases.