❓ why
Why do sound waves need air or another material to travel?
Quick Answer
Sound is a vibration that moves by making particles in a medium bump into each other. In empty space, there are no particles to carry the vibration, so sound cannot travel.
The Full Story
Sound is a mechanical wave, not an electromagnetic one. It needs a medium such as air, water, or a solid because the wave moves through particle-to-particle interactions. In a vacuum there is nothing to compress or rarefy, so no sound can propagate. That is why space is silent, even though explosions and collisions may happen there.
Key Facts
1.Sound is a mechanical wave
2.It can travel through air, water, and solids
3.Sound cannot travel in a vacuum
YouTube Angle
Suggested video title for this topic:
"Why is space silent even when things explode there?"
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