Sound travels faster through liquids than through air or gases primarily because liquids have a higher density and are less compressible. The speed of sound is determined by the medium's properties, such as its density, elasticity, and compressibility.
In liquids, the molecules are densely packed and closely linked together, allowing sound waves to propagate more efficiently. When a sound wave passes through a liquid, the molecules can transmit the vibrations to their neighboring molecules quickly due to the close proximity, resulting in faster propagation of the wave.
In contrast, gases, including air, have lower density and greater compressibility. The molecules in gases are more spread out, which makes it more difficult for sound waves to travel through them. Additionally, gases can be compressed and expanded more easily than liquids, causing the sound waves to lose energy and slow down as they encounter variations in pressure.
It's worth noting that the temperature and composition of the medium also affect the speed of sound. In general, the speed of sound increases with an increase in temperature and decreases with an increase in molecular weight or complexity of the medium.
To summarize, the higher density and lower compressibility of liquids compared to air or gases enable sound waves to propagate faster through liquids.