Why Is The Speed Of Sound In Water Greater Than The

Speed Of Sound In Air?

Written By. Sarah Alemu

The speed of sound is the distance a sound wave

travels during a specified time parameter. In air the
speed of sound is found to be 343m/s (1125.33ft/s). The
speed of sound changes depending on the medium in which
the sound wave is travelling through. Sound travels
faster in liquids than it does in air. The speed of
sound in water is found to be 1484m/s (4868.77ft/s)
which is approximately 4.3 times faster than the speed
of sound in air.
While Id like to tell you that there are many
scientific details that influence this fact of life, it
is really only due to one detail, and that one detail
is density. Density is a measurement of molecules in a
defined amount of space (such as a litre, or a cubic
metre). At 20C and 101.325Pa air has a density of
approximately 1.2041kg/m3, and at the same temperature
and pressure water has a density of 998.2071kg/m3.
Longitudinal waves travel faster in denser
materials, than in less dense mediums. Sound waves are
longitudinal so when travelling through a denser medium
where the molecules are close together the longitudinal
sound waves travel through the medium faster. Water is
a denser medium than air, so the longitudinal sound
waves travel through water faster than they travel
through air, thus making the speed of sound in water
greater than the speed of sound in air.

Works Cited
Gibb, Natalie. "Sound Travels About 4 Times Faster in
Water Than in Air." AboutSPORTS. About.com, n.d.
Web. 11 Dec. 2014.
Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Is the Density of
Air at STP?" AboutEDUCATION. About.com, n.d. Web.
11 Dec. 2014.
"Speed of Sound." Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web.
11 Dec. 2014.