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Is speed of light and speed of sound different in different materials?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
yes
the speed of light in a vacuum is different than the speed of light in our atmosphere or another planets atmosphere
the speed of sound is also different in the air than when it goes through a solid or liquid
Addional answer
The first answer above not quite correct. The speed of light is the same regardless of what it passes through. It's 186,282 miles per second, but there is a small change due to the refractive index of different materials. But this difference is much less than the difference of the speed of sound in different materials
If we go even further, it's the same to all observers (as Einstein would say). That means that even if you were travelling at close to the speed of light, it would appear to be travelling past or towards you at the speed of light. Now we're into relativity!
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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How do different materials affect light and sound waves?
Light slows as it enters material with a higher density whereas sound waves speed up in materials of higher density. Light bends towards the "normal" as it passes from a less dense medium to a higher density medium ie air into glass. Both sound and light can be reflected from surfaces.
Is the speed of sound as speed of light?
The speed of light is much greater than the speed of sound.
Is the speed of light or sound faster?
The speed of light is about 880 thousand timesfaster than the speed of sound.
How is the speed of light and speed of sound related?
The speed of light is about 900,000 times as fast as the speed of sound in air.
What mach is the speed of light?
The question has no sensible answer: the Mach number is the speed of an object in a medium compared to the speed of sound in the same medium. Light, and other electromagnetic radiation travel fastest in vacuum. Since sound cannot travel in vacuum its speed in vacuum is 0 and so the Mach number for light requires division by zero - which is undefined.The Mach number for light travelling in air is approx 873,300. In water, it is 202,000 and in diamond it is only 10,400.
Why sound travels in different speed in different materials?
because the speed is the tang ina
How do different materials affect light and sound waves?
Light slows as it enters material with a higher density whereas sound waves speed up in materials of higher density. Light bends towards the "normal" as it passes from a less dense medium to a higher density medium ie air into glass. Both sound and light can be reflected from surfaces.
Compare the speed of light to the speed of sound?
Assuming you mean the speed of sound in air, the speed of light (in a vacuum) is about 800,000 times larger. However, sound has very different speeds, depending on the medium in which it travels.Assuming you mean the speed of sound in air, the speed of light (in a vacuum) is about 800,000 times larger. However, sound has very different speeds, depending on the medium in which it travels.Assuming you mean the speed of sound in air, the speed of light (in a vacuum) is about 800,000 times larger. However, sound has very different speeds, depending on the medium in which it travels.Assuming you mean the speed of sound in air, the speed of light (in a vacuum) is about 800,000 times larger. However, sound has very different speeds, depending on the medium in which it travels.
Which of the following types of waves travels at a different speed through different materials?
light waves
Is the speed of sound as speed of light?
The speed of light is much greater than the speed of sound.
Why do waves change speed as they travel through earths layer?
Different materials have different velocities of sound propagation.
Is the speed of light or sound faster?
The speed of light is about 880 thousand timesfaster than the speed of sound.
Why does a light ray bend when it travels from the air to water?
Simply put, because the speed of light in the different materials is slightly different.
When do light waves change speed?
speed of light is different for materials of different refractive index and also higher the refractive index lesser will be speed of light in that medium. so if light travels from rarer to denser medium (with respect to refractive index) then light waves will change their speed
How are light and sound different?
Different is the speed of propagation. Scroll down to related links and look at "Acoustic or sound waves in air - Radio and light waves in a vacuum".
How is the speed of light and speed of sound related?
The speed of light is about 900,000 times as fast as the speed of sound in air.
Which was the fastest the speed of light or the speed of sound?
speed of light
