Which among the following is true for propagation of sound waves ?
Sound can travel in vacuum and it is a transverse wave in air.
Sound cannot travel in vacuum and it is a longitudinal wave in air.
Sound can travel in vacuum and it is a longitudinal wave in air.
Sound cannot travel in vacuum and it is a transverse wave in air.
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2021
Sound transmission involves the vibration of particles in a medium. In air, this vibration creates regions of compression and rarefaction that travel through the air as a wave. Because the particle displacement is along the direction of energy propagation, it is a longitudinal wave. Vacuum lacks the particles needed to transmit these vibrations, hence sound cannot travel in a vacuum.