Examples of sound travelling through gas

Índice Show

Science project
What evidence is there that sound travels through gas?
How does sound travel through air examples?
In which of the following examples can sound travel?
What are 3 examples of sound waves?

Science project

Grade Level: Preschool to 2nd grade; Type: Physics

Chidren will experience sounds travelling through things in different states: a bag of air, a bag of water, a wooden block.

Will a pencil tap heard through a bag of air sound different than a pencil tap heard through a bag of water? Will these taps sound different than a tap heard through a wooden block?

Zippered sandwich bag
Water
Wooden block
Pencil

Blow into the sandwich bag and quickly seal it to create a puffed up bag of air (a gas).
Cover one ear with your hand and the other ear with the bag of air.
Have an assisstant tap the bag with a pencil. How does it sound?
Now fill the bag with water (a liquid) and seal it.
Hold this water-filled bag against one ear while covering the other ear with your hand.
Have your assistant tap this bag with a pencil. How does it sound?
Finally hold a wooden block (a solid) over one ear while covering the other ear with your hand. Have your friend tap the block with the pencil. How does it sound?
Compare and discuss your observations.

Terms/Concepts: Things exist in different states: gas, liquid. solid; Sound travels.

References: "How to Demonstrate Sound Waves to Kids," eHow Family

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Sound travels at different speeds depending on what it is traveling through. Of the three mediums (gas, liquid, and solid) sound waves travel the slowest through gases, faster through liquids, and fastest through solids. Temperature also affects the speed of sound.

Gases:

The speed of sound depends upon the properties of the medium it is passing through. When we look at the properties of a gas, we see that only when molecules collide with each other can the condensations and rarefactions of a sound wave move about. So, it makes sense that the speed of sound has the same order of magnitude as the average molecular speed between collisions. In a gas, it is particularly important to know the temperature. This is because at lower temperatures, molecules collide more often, giving the sound wave more chances to move around rapidly. At freezing (0� Celcius), sound travels through air at 331 meters per second (about 740 mph). But, at 20�C, room temperature, sound travels at 343 meters per second (767 mph).

Liquids:

Sound travels faster in liquids than in gases because molecules are more tightly packed. In fresh water, sound waves travel at 1,482 meters per second (about 3,315 mph). That's well over 4 times faster than in air! Several ocean-dwelling animals rely upon sound waves to communicate with other animals and to locate food and obstacles. The reason that they are able to effectively use this method of communication over long distances is that sound travels so much faster in water.

Solids:

Sound travels fastest through solids. This is because molecules in a solid medium are much closer together than those in a liquid or gas, allowing sound waves to travel more quickly through it. In fact, sound waves travel over 17 times faster through steel than through air. The exact speed of sound in steel is 5,960 meters per second (13,332 mph)! But, this is only for the majority of solids. The speed of sound in all solids are not faster than in all liquids.

What evidence is there that sound travels through gas?

People hearing others speak is evidence sound travels through a gas. People hearing sounds while submerged in a pool is evidence sound travels through a liquid.

How does sound travel through air examples?

When sound is created, the air particles vibrate and collide with each other, causing the vibrations to pass between air particles. The vibrating particles pass the sound through to a person's ear and vibrate the ear drum. Light travels much faster than sound through air.