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)
This key facts covers Sound Wave Properties within Sound Waves for GCSE Physics. Revise Sound Waves in Waves for GCSE Physics with 16 exam-style questions and 15 flashcards. Use this page as part of a wider topic revision path rather than treating it as an isolated fact. 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.
Practice questions for Sound Waves
What type of wave is sound?
Describe how a sound wave is produced and how energy is transferred by a longitudinal wave.