2007-10-20 15:37:31 · 8 answers · asked by Jade 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Sound is basically a form of kinetic energy--energy of motion. It is transmitted when a particle in a medium gets a bit of energy, by being bumped by a neighboring particle maybe, and passes some or all of this energy along by bumping another particle.
If there's no medium, then there are no particles to bump or be bumped. So...no medium=no bumping=no sound.
PS. The sound you hear is the result of this bumping finally reaching tiny hairs deep in your ear--but that's another answer.
2007-10-20 15:52:51 · answer #1 · answered by husoski 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
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Why do sound waves need a medium through which to travel?
2015-08-12 06:35:45 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because sound wave is what we call a compression wave. It has to bump into molecules/particles to be transmitted in a horizontal line.(Just like when you push someone waiting in a line at the end and that would go on till the beginning of the line)
Now if there is no particle/molecule to bump into,as for example a non-medium environment, in vacuum. The sound will not get transferred.
Thats why sound get transferred in water or just like the Indians who were listening to the ground to hear any horses coming,sound gets transmitted through the ground.
Thats also why you cant hear nothing into space,there is no air,thus no molecules/air particles for the sound to bump into to get transmitted and eventually gets lost
hope it helps
2007-10-20 16:40:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Because sound is a compression wave. The medium through which it travels must exist in order to be compressed (and then rebound to its original state) This, in fact, is a "sound wave."
2007-10-20 15:48:49 · answer #4 · answered by Tatiana M 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sound is a "mechanical" wave, meaning that it is a physical wave of atoms exerting pressure on each other. If I push the atoms close to me, they will push on the atoms next to them, and so on and so on like dominoes. If there are no atoms around, then there is nothing to push!
This can be contrasted with light and other electromagnetic waves, which are merely "wiggling fields" (whatever that means) and have no physical component. So light can travel through a vacuum!
2007-10-20 15:44:03 · answer #5 · answered by SWM 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Sound needs a medium because it is basically the the uniform collisions of the molecules of the medium through which it travels.
2007-10-20 15:54:47 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sound waves are transmitted as 'Pressure Pulsations' (or waves) within the medium used. They cannot do this in a Vacuum with no substance available that can carry the sound.
The denser the medium, the faster are sound transmissions as the waves are closer together.
2007-10-20 16:06:24 · answer #7 · answered by Norrie 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
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2016-04-01 03:37:46 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋