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Sound is a compressional wave, and travels from particle to particle, through matter in waves of pressure. When someone speaks, they drive air through their vocal cords, which causes them to vibrate (if there not relaxed). These vibrations generate the compressional waves that are detected by your ears as sound. In a vacuum, such as in empty space, there is no substance for the waves to travel through, so the compressional waves, sound, have no way to reach a listener.
Sound is a compression wave, or a pattern of high density areas (compressions) and low density areas(rarefactions). As the density of one area moves back to normal, it throws its abnormality onto an adjacent area, which is how sound moves. If there were no medium to move through, such as in a vacuum, there would be nothing to compress, and, therefore, no way for sound to exist.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoSound consists of vibrations that are passed between molecules (air or almost any other matter). Since a vacuum has no molecules, it cannot carry a sound wave.
As the pressure of the air is lowered in a partial vacuum, its ability to carry sound is reduced, until finally it is not sufficient to carry any at all.
Wiki User
∙ 6y agoSound is transmitted by matter, in a vacuum there is no matter to transmit the sound.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoSound is a mechanical wave. So it needs a material medium to get propagated. As vacuum does not have any matter, sound cannot be passed throught it.
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoIn basic terms a vacuum does not have air. Air allows sound to move by carrying sound on molecules of air. Take away the air and the carrier is removed
Wiki User
∙ 7y agoSound is transmitted by atoms bumping into other atoms, and transferring their movement energy. If there are no atoms, this can't happen.
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Explain why cant sound travel through vacuums?
there is no air in a vaccum. and sound needs air for the sound waves to travel through.
How does sound travel when a student taps his pencil on the desk?
Sound is a form of energy that travels in waves known as compression waves or waves that are compacted by pressure. Sound can travel in many mediums such as solids, gas, and water. Most importantly is the presence of molecules in our atmosphere for sound cannot be heard in the vacuum of space. So, when you tap your pencil on your desk, you are creating a vibration that can be heard. The harder you tap, the louder the sound will be.
What must be present for sound to travel?
Sound needs a media to propagate. Sound can not propagate in a vacuum. Sound waves, unlike light, are essentially compression waves and the sound in order to move from one place to other needs molecules to compress and decompress against, hence the wave is transmitted. In a vacuum, there are no molecules. Hence no sound.
What does sound need to travel through?
Sound (and vibration) are a wave system of sequential compressions and rarefactions of a material. These waves are mechanical and do need a substance through which to travel. They cannot travel through a vacuum.
Is water a good sound insulator?
A vacuum is a great sound insulator. Materials that absorb energy such as wool are good insulators as well. I heard of a silicone adhesive that transformed acoustic energies into heat - that was a good insulator if it was used to glue two sheets of something together.
What did the bell in a vacuum tell scientists about sound?
THat sound requires matter to travel to be heard. Therefore a vacuum has no matter hence no sound can be heard
What sound cant travel through?
sound can't travel through a vacuum. or a place without air.
Can sound travel or heard in a vacuum?
Cannot be heard as sound being a mechanical wave badly needs a material medium
Did ultrasonic sound are heard in solar system?
No, because sound cannot travel in the vacuum.
What can light travel through that sound cant travel through?
light can travel through a vacuum whereas sound cant
Is sound compression waves that can be heard?
yes i cant answer it
Why cant sound travel on the moon?
Sound can travel on the moon because there is no atmosphere. Space is a vacuum that does not allow sound to travel.
What do you hear when an alarm clock rings in a vacuum?
Nothing! Sound is wave and needs a medium to pass through in order to be heard !!!Nothing, because sound cannot travel in a vacuum.
Why cant you hear a bell inside of a vacuum jar?
Sound is mechanical energy, and the energy of the sound is transferred into the medium through which it is travelling. As the energy of sound is carried by the medium, the vacuum of space will not support a sound wave.
Why cant sound travel from planet to planet?
Because space is a Vacuum, there are not enough gas molecules around to transfer the sound waves.
Why cant you here in space?
Because there is no atmosphere in space, therefore nothing can carry the sound waves of your vocal cords. Sound relies on pressure waves moving through air. Therefore, in the absolute vacuum of space, no sound can be heard at all.
Why wouldn't you hear the roar of a rocket engine in space?
Space is essentially a vacuum. Sound needs a medium to travel through to be heard. Therefore the sound of a rocket engine cannot be heard in space.
