What is the difference between light waves and sound waves?

Answer 1

The differences between light and sound are as follows:

• Light can be considered to be made of waves as well as particles. Sound is only a wave. It does not show particle nature.
• Light waves are electromagnetic waves while sound waves are mechanical waves.
• Light waves are transverse while sound waves are longitudinal.
• Light waves can travel in vacuum. Sound waves require a material medium to travel, and hence, cannot travel in vacuum.
• The speed of light in a medium is constant. The velocity of sound waves can change.
• In sound waves, the particles of the medium actually oscillate. In a light wave, the electric and magnetic vectors oscillate.
• Light waves can be polarized, but sound waves cannot.
• Light waves travel much faster than sound waves. The speed of light is a physical constant. Its value is exactly 299,792,458 meters per second in vacuum. The speed of sound is 343 meters per second in dry air at 20°C.
• And finally, a simple one - you can see light while you can hear sound.

Answer 2

Sound is mechanical energy, and the energy is carried by the medium in which the sound wave is traveling. The source actually puts the energy into the medium. Light is electromagnetic energy, and the energy is carried in the wave itself, and not in any kind of medium. A consequence of these facts is that sound cannot travel in the vacuum of space, but light can do so with ease.

Sound energy is a vibration in the air (or could be in other gases) which is an oscillation of air pressure, this is called Sound Pressure Level and can be measured in pascals. It travels at a speed determined by the gas and its temperature, generally about 700 mph in air. Sound cannot exist in a vacuum. Sound energy can cover a wide range of frequency, but the human ear can usually detect from about 25 Hz to 15,000 Hz. At any one frequency the energy is proportional to the Sound Pressure Level, but usually it is quoted in Decibels, which is on a logarithmic scale to allow for the wide range of sound pressure which the ear can detect. Sound will travel in solids and liquids as well as gases, too. hello old friend Light is a part of the spectrum of electromagnetic radiation which is something entirely different, travels at about 186,000 miles per second, and travels best in a vacuum. The energy of electromagnetic radiation increases with its frequency, so light comes between infra-red and ultra-violet. Much higher frequencies such as x-rays and gamma rays have more energy and can penetrate substances that light cannot penetrate. Intensity of the light is another variable, this does not change the energy of individual photons but changes the number of them. Luminous intensity is measured in Candelas.

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Answer 3

Probably the most fundamental difference between light waves and sound waves is that light is electromagnetic energy, while sound is mechanical energy. Additionally, sound waves are longitudinal and light waves are transverse waves. Lastly, light waves do not require a medium through which to travel. Sound waves, because the mechanical energy from the source is transferred into the medium, actually must have something to move through to carry the mechanical energy of the wave.

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sound waves are vibrating air molecules that transfer energy which we hear as sound, different frequencies are heard a different notes.

light waves are wavelengths of electromagnetic energy some of which are visible to the human eye, different frequencies are seen as different colors on the color spectrum.

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Light waves are not mechanical waves where as sound waves are mechanical waves.

Mechanical waves need a material medium to get propagated.

Light waves could also be considered as photons but sound waves have to be considered as phonons.

A Light waves' velocity is 300,000 km per sec, while a sound wave will travel at a velocity of 330 m/s in air.

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sound waves

they need a medium for travelling

speed of sound waves is less than light wave

sound cannot travel in space

light waves

they do not need a medium for travelling.

speed of light is more than sound waves.

they can travel in space

Answer 4

Light waves are electromagnetic waves that do not require a medium to travel through, while sound waves are mechanical waves that need a medium (like air, water, or solids) to propagate. Light waves travel at a much faster speed (about 300,000 km/s) compared to sound waves (which travel at about 340 m/s in air). Light waves are also transverse waves, while sound waves are longitudinal waves.