2006-11-28 20:04:29 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Sound relies upoon matter to convey its energy, and it takes time for the matter particles to "bump" into eachother to transport the sound energy, even in a solid. Remember sound is a compression or longitudinal wave.
Light does not rely upon any medium to convey it, so no matter needs to move at all.
2006-11-28 20:08:21 · answer #1 · answered by Mez 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is difficult to compare these to each other, despite their nearness to us conceptually, they are quite different. Sound is something of a wave, and to move it has to crash into something else. The denser the environment it is trying to move through in terms of molecules, the faster it goes. Light is much more difficult, it is both a particle (like radiation) and a wave. But it also doesn't need any molecules to move, that in the end is the main reason it is faster.
Of course the fact that it has much higher energy than sound helps too.
2006-11-29 04:09:32 · answer #2 · answered by Jon D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Light is a self-propagating wave made up of electric and magnetic fields whilst sound is a pressure wave that depends on the media that it is moving thru. The denser the media, the faster the sound
Remember also that in certain instances light behaves like it is made up of small particles called photons. Please read up on this topic!
2006-11-29 04:29:00 · answer #3 · answered by SAREK 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
one is a mechanical based wave the other one is an electromagnetic wave. the first needs a medium, matter to convey, while the other doesnot.
i feel that since sound travel by stimulating adjustents molecules is is a slower transition than the one form electric field to magnetic fileds that happens really faster and "helps" to the propagation of the wave.
2006-11-29 04:16:42 · answer #4 · answered by Emmanuel P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sound waves travel through layers of air between you and the source . Light is something else . Think of it as radiation . It doesn't give a **** about air or else. It takes other stuff to slow it down.
Don't give me to much credit though . For the moment I'm fighting a
green monkey , and we are both covered in chocolate .
Good typing though?
2006-11-29 04:17:37 · answer #5 · answered by volksbank 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's faster about 380 times.
2006-11-29 04:07:22 · answer #6 · answered by Stalwart 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
light travels through air with no resistance, where sound is limited to range and strength. "you see the flash, then hear the thunder".
2006-11-29 04:14:37 · answer #7 · answered by Andrew G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sound is denser than photones (light) and sound waves have a greater amplitude than light wave, so they're slower
2006-11-29 04:08:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
if it was the other way
then u would ask the oppozite question
2006-11-29 04:09:26 · answer #9 · answered by come2turkey:) 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋