The following six (6) items consist of two statements, Statement I and

The following six (6) items consist of two statements, Statement I and Statement II. Examine these two statements carefully and select the correct answer using the code given below.
Statement I :
Sound wave cannot propagate in vacuum.
Statement II :
Sound waves are elastic waves and require a medium to propagate.

Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I

Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I

Statement I is true but Statement II is false

Statement I is false but Statement II is true

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC NDA-2 – 2018

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Statement I is true: Sound waves are mechanical waves, meaning they require a material medium (like air, water, or solids) to propagate by vibrating particles. A vacuum is devoid of such particles, so sound cannot travel through it. Statement II is true: Sound waves are elastic waves (a type of mechanical wave) that cause disturbances in the medium’s particles, which are then transmitted through the medium. This reliance on particle interaction directly explains why a medium is required for propagation. Therefore, Statement II is the correct explanation for Statement I.

– Sound is a form of energy that travels as waves.
– Sound waves are longitudinal mechanical waves, causing compressions and rarefactions in the medium.
– The presence of a medium is essential for the vibrations to be transmitted.

Electromagnetic waves (like light, radio waves, X-rays) are not mechanical waves and can travel through a vacuum because they do not require a medium for propagation.

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