Final answer:
The difficulty the synchronized swim team experienced when practicing on a mat after leaving the pool may be due to the fact that sound waves in water differ from air.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difficulty the synchronized swim team experienced when practicing on a mat after leaving the pool may be due to the fact that sound waves in water differ from air. When underwater, sound waves travel at a different speed and behave differently compared to sound waves in air. This can affect the way the team members perceive and interpret the sounds, which may have made it more difficult for them to perform the combinations on the mat.