Question

You call to a friend from a boat floating in the ocean. Which best describes the changes in the speed of the sound waves as they move from you to below the surface of the ocean?
The speed of sound is faster in the water than in the air.
The speed of sound is faster in the air than in the water.
The speed of sound does not change as it moves through the air or water.
The speed depends on how loud you yell.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: The speed of sound is faster in the water than in the air.  

The speed of sound is different between those two mediums because they have different densities. Since, water is denser than air, more energy is required to generate a wave but once it stars, it travels faster than it would do in air. Sound waves’ travel can be presented by particles that transmit the energy one to another as they bump. The sound speed is lower in the air (than in water) because particles are far apart, so they travel further before they collide.