This key facts covers Sound Wave Properties within Sound Waves for GCSE Physics. Revise Sound Waves in Waves for GCSE Physics with 13 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 3 of 13 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 3 of 13
Practice
13 questions
Recall
15 flashcards
📚 Sound Wave Properties
Type: LONGITUDINAL wave (compressions and rarefactions)
Speed in different media:
- In air: ~330 m/s (varies with temperature — warmer air → faster sound)
- In water: ~1500 m/s (faster in liquids)
- In steel: ~5000 m/s (fastest in solids)
General rule: Sound travels FASTER in denser/more rigid media. Solids > Liquids > Gases.
Cannot travel through: Vacuum (needs particles to vibrate)
Human hearing range: 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
- Infrasound: < 20 Hz (elephants, earthquakes — inaudible to humans)
- Ultrasound: > 20,000 Hz (bats, medical scans — inaudible to humans)