Particles and waves are different concepts that describe different aspects of physical phenomena. While it is true that waves can be understood as disturbances in particles, it is important to distinguish between the two concepts.
Particles refer to discrete entities of matter or energy that have localized positions in space. Examples of particles include atoms, molecules, electrons, and photons. Particles have properties such as mass, charge, and spin.
Waves, on the other hand, describe the propagation of energy through a medium or through space. Waves are characterized by properties like wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. They exhibit behaviors such as interference, diffraction, and polarization.
In the case of sound, it is indeed a wave that travels through a medium (such as air or water). Sound waves are created by the vibration of particles in the medium. When an object vibrates, it causes the surrounding particles to also vibrate, transmitting energy in the form of compressions and rarefactions. These compressions and rarefactions propagate through the medium as a longitudinal wave, and our ears perceive them as sound.
So, while sound waves are disturbances in particles, the concept of waves extends beyond the specific particles involved in the transmission of the wave. Waves can exist and propagate even in the absence of particles, such as electromagnetic waves (e.g., light) that can travel through a vacuum where there are no particles.