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Short and simple:
Sound is a compression (or pressure) wave.
There are two things that affect the speed of sound, the density of a material and its compressibility. Specifically, the speed of sound is proportional to the square root of the ratio.
v=sqrt(B/rho)
v=speed of sound.
B= bulk modulus. (There are different names for this material property such as coefficient of stiffness).
rho= mass density.
A greater density of a material tends to slow the velocity of sound but a greater stiffness tends to increase the velocity of sound.
The bulk modulus of water is 15,000 times greater than air while the density of water is not even one thousand times greater.
Bulk modulus wins out and the velocity of sound in water is more than four times the velocity in air.
This relationship causes the speed of sound to be greater in most materials, but there are exceptions.
More Details:
The reader should be warned that there is much more to sound in materials than one see in the simple compression waves of air. Further, materials like steel come in various compositions and the micro structure depends on the processes that make it, so there is no such thing as a single number fore the speed of sound in steel.
Here are a few typical numbers for bulk modulus (stiffness) and density.
Air(adiabatic)
B= 1.42×10^5 Pa rho= 1.22 kg/m^3
Water
B=2.2×10^9 Pa rho= 1,000 kg/m^3
Steel
B= 160 x10^9 Pa rho=7,860 kg/m^3
v_air = 340 m/s.
v_water = 1482 m/s
v_steel= 4500 m/s
Caveat: As stated above, these numbers should be taken as approximate since various complications such as temperature and composition have not been explained.
What else can I help you with?
Why does sound move faster through stone than water?
sound moves faster though stone than water because stones particles are closer together and vibrate faster. +++ We can add that in general, the denser the material the higher the speed of sound through it.
Is the speed of sound in cork greater than speed of sound in water?
No. The denser the material, the faster sound moves through it.
Is there a tiny particle that can faster than the speed of light and sound?
No known particles can travel faster than the speed of light in a vacuum, according to the theory of special relativity. In a medium like water, particles such as neutrinos can travel faster than the speed of light in that medium, but not in a vacuum. In solids, sound waves can propagate faster than light as well.
Would sound travel faster in 10 degree water or 25 degree?
Sound travels faster in warmer water because the molecules are moving faster and can transmit vibrations more quickly. Therefore, sound would travel faster in 25 degree water compared to 10 degree water.
Sound travels faster through what?
The speed of sound is determined by what it travels through. It travels faster through dense mediums, such as liquids, and doesn't travel at all in space, because there are no molecules to move sound waves along.
Does light travel more faster or slower as they enter water?
Slower in water.
Does sound travel faster in the air or water?
Sound travels faster in water thanin air.
How does sound affect water?
Water makes sound slower and if it goes through matter it goes faster
Does sound travel faster in sea water or air?
it travels faster in water
Does empty space make sound travel fastest?
Sound waves need a medium (such as air, water, metal and other materials) to travel through. Sound waves travel by slightly displacing the atoms from their original position as it moves. With empty space (no atoms) the sound waves cannot travel at all. In general, sound travels slower in gasses, then faster in liquids, and even faster in solids. Each substance is different, though.
Why does sound travell faster under water than under ground?
Actually, sound travels slower under water than underground. Sound is a vibration in molecules that we perceive as noise. Water's molecules are rather loose compared to a solid's molecules, so it would travel slower underwater compared to traveling underground.
Does sound travel faster in Ice Water or Steam?
Sound travels faster in ice water compared to steam. This is because sound waves travel faster in denser mediums, and ice water is denser than steam. So, the speed of sound in ice water is faster than in steam.
Will sound travel in water?
Yes, sound can travel in water, but it travels faster and farther in water compared to air because water is denser and transmits sound more efficiently. Sound travels around four times faster in water than in air.
Does sound travel faster in a Ice Steam or water?
Sound travels faster in water than in ice or steam. This is because sound waves travel faster through denser materials, and water is denser than both ice and steam.
Does ripples on water or sound travel slower?
Ripples on water travel slower than sound. Sound waves travel through air at a speed of roughly 343 meters per second, while ripples on water can travel at speeds as slow as a few meters per second, depending on factors like the depth of the water and the frequency of the ripples.
Does sound travel faster through a solid or water?
sound travel faster through soled because of tighter packed particles
Why does sound travel more slowly at higher altitude?
Sound is in its simplest terms, is vibrations of the air (or other particles). There is less air at a higher altitude (that is why people need air tanks when climbing Mt Everest) therefore, the slower it takes for it to travel. There is no sound in space, because there is no air. Sound will travels FASTER in water than in air, because once again there are more particles in water. Think of it this way. The more messenger boys (particles) you have, the faster a message (sound) will get across the country, the less messenger boys you have, the slower the message will travel.
