Final answer:
Sound travels faster in hot air rather than cold air because the increased temperature results in particles with more kinetic energy, facilitating quicker transmission of sound.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sound travels faster in hot air compared to cold air. This is because the speed of sound depends on the temperature of the medium through which it is traveling. In hotter media, the particles have more kinetic energy, resulting in faster movement and vibration.
This allows sound waves to be transmitted more efficiently and quickly. Additionally, sound generally travels faster in solids than in liquids, and faster in liquids than in gases, due to increased density and decreased compressibility in those states. Furthermore, sound travels faster at sea level because air pressure is higher, further impacting the speed of sound depending on the medium's characteristics.