+27 votes
in Sound by
edited by

Your answer

Your name to display (optional):
Privacy: Your email address will only be used for sending these notifications.
+14 votes
by

Light and sound do not travel at the same speed in a vacuum. In a vacuum, such as outer space, light travels at a constant speed of approximately 299,792 kilometers per second (or about 186,282 miles per second) in a vacuum, commonly denoted as the speed of light, denoted as 'c'.

On the other hand, sound requires a medium, such as air, water, or solid materials, to propagate. The speed of sound varies depending on the properties of the medium it is traveling through. For example, in dry air at room temperature, sound travels at approximately 343 meters per second (or about 1,125 feet per second).

The key difference between light and sound is that light is an electromagnetic wave, while sound is a mechanical wave. Light can travel through empty space because it is not dependent on a physical medium. It can propagate through a vacuum without the need for any material substance. Sound, on the other hand, requires particles in a medium to transfer energy and propagate as compressional waves.

So, to clarify, light and sound do not travel at the same speed in a vacuum. Light can travel through a vacuum at a constant speed, whereas sound requires a material medium to propagate and cannot travel through a vacuum.

Welcome to Physicsgurus Q&A, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of the community.
...