In which of the following media is the speed of sound the maximum ?

The correct answer is Stainless steel.

Key Points

• The speed of sound is highest in solids because the molecules in solid media are more tightly bound together than in liquids or gases, allowing sound waves to travel faster. Therefore, in the given case, the speed of sound will be maximum in Stainless steel.

Additional Information

• The speed of the sound depends on the density of the medium through which it is travelling.
  • The particles in the solid medium are closely packed. Hence, the density is high. Information from one molecule to another molecule travels faster in the solid medium.
  • In liquid, the molecules are farther apart than in solids. Hence, the density is low for liquids.
  • In gas, the molecules are very loosely dispersed.
• Sound is a mechanical wave that needs a medium to travel.
  • The speed of sound is maximum in solids, then it is in liquid and it is the slowest in gases.
  • The speed of sound remains almost the same for all frequencies in a given medium under the same physical conditions.