do particles of air move at the speed of sound?

Question

For example, if speed of sound was 332m/s would the particles of air necessarily move at this speed.. why or why not?

Answer 1

Hi -

No - it's similar to a wave on the ocean. The wave can move at a speed that is entirely unrelated to the motion of the individual molecules of water. They just go up and down, but the wave moves along the surface.

Sound is a little different, in that it is a compression wave, not a transverse wave like water. Still, the speed of the wave is distinct from the particles that contribute to it.