Fast As... Sound!
Sound needs to travel through the air to be heard, the same way light needs to travel through space to be seen. But have you ever wondered how fast sound travels?
The speed of sound is about 340 meters per second. In comparison, light reaches 299,792,458 metres per second. That’s why, during a thunderstorm for example, light reaches us much faster than sound.
That said, several factors can influence the speed of sound. The material the sound is travelling through makes a big difference. For example, sound travels 1,500 metres per second in water and a whopping 6,000 metres per second in steel. Temperature, pressure and humidity can also cause the speed of sound in the air to vary. The lower the compressibility and density of the liquid, gas or solid, the higher the speed of propagation of sound.
But What Is Sound?
Sound is the result of tiny vibrations of air molecules. These vibrations propagate and create sound waves. The waves are then picked up by our ears, where a number of parts work together to pick up the sounds, amplify them and transmit them to the brain, which in turn allows us to understand them.
While we can see light in space, sound cannot travel in a vacuum. Sound needs a substance to travel, whether it is solid, liquid or gas. Since molecules and particles don’t collide in space to create sound, space is silent.
Thanks to our ears, we can hear the sounds around us, whether they be loud or quiet. The physiology of the ears is complex and delicate—especially that of the ossicles in the ears, which are actually the three smallest bones in the entire human body.
Since hearing is essential for communication, it's important to protect it, have it examined and help it with hearing aids if necessary so that you can enjoy hearing and understanding for a long time to come!