The form of energy that travels in the form of sound is called acoustic energy. Sound energy is a type of mechanical wave that propagates through a medium, such as air, water, or solids. When an object vibrates, it creates disturbances in the surrounding medium, which result in the compression and rarefaction of molecules. These compressions and rarefactions form sound waves that propagate through the medium, carrying energy with them. Our ears can detect these sound waves and interpret them as sound.