Why Does Sound Travel Faster Underwater Than in Air?

Have you ever wondered why sounds seem to travel more quickly underwater? Submarines can detect sounds from other vessels kilometers away almost instantly. In contrast, the same distance in air results in delayed and weaker sound transmission. This difference boils down to two key physical properties: compressibility and density .     What is Sound? – The Propagation of Vibrations Sound is the transmission of vibrations through a medium. When particles in a substance vibrate, they bump into neighboring particles and pass along the energy. Two primary factors determine the speed of this transmission: Bulk Modulus : Indicates how quickly pressure is transmitted through the medium. Density : Measures the mass per unit volume of the medium. These two factors combine in the formula for sound speed: Sound Speed (v) = √(Bulk Modulus / Density) In short, the greater the bulk modulus and the lower the density, the faster sound can travel. Air vs...