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Sound waves travel slower in colder air than in warmer air why does the speed of sound depend on air temperature?

User Barwin
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2 Answers

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Answer:

What would happen to the speed of a sound wave if it moved from ocean water to air?

✔ It would slow down.

What would happen to the speed of a sound wave if it moved from a cooler room to a warmer one?

✔ It would speed up.

Step-by-step explanation:

User Mike Hornblade
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when air is warmer, the air particles move faster due to the heat, causing kinetic energy of the particles to increase. And as sound is produced when energy is transfered from one particle to another, with the particles moving faster, the energy will also be transfered faster, thus, allowing sound waves to travel faster in warmer air than in colder air
User Yikouniao
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