Which one of the following statements is NOT true about the sound

Which one of the following statements is NOT true about the sound waves?

Sound waves are longitudinal in nature

Sound waves can propagate through water

Speed of sound waves in steel is more than its speed in air

Sound waves can propagate through vacuum

Answer is Right!

Answer is Wrong!

This question was previously asked in

UPSC Geoscientist – 2020

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The statement that is NOT true about sound waves is that they can propagate through vacuum. Sound waves are mechanical waves, meaning they require a material medium (solid, liquid, or gas) through which to travel. They cause vibrations in the particles of the medium, and these vibrations are transmitted from one particle to the next. In a vacuum, there are essentially no particles to vibrate, so sound cannot travel through it.

Sound waves are mechanical waves and require a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to propagate.

Sound waves in fluids (like air and water) are primarily longitudinal. Sound can propagate through various media, including water (as demonstrated by underwater sound) and solids like steel. The speed of sound varies depending on the medium; it is generally fastest in solids (due to stronger inter-particle forces), slower in liquids, and slowest in gases. The speed of sound in steel is significantly higher than its speed in air.

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