Which of the following statements about sound is FALSE?
- AThe audible range of an average human is 20 Hz - 20 kHz.
- BThe speed of sound remains uniform irrespective of the temperature or medium.
- CSound travels as a longitudinal wave.
- DSound cannot travel in a vacuum.
Solution & Step-by-step Explanation
The statement that "The speed of sound remains uniform irrespective of the temperature or medium" is completely false.
The speed of sound varies heavily across different media (it is fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases).
Furthermore, the speed of sound is directly proportional to the square root of the absolute temperature (v∝
T
); as temperature increases, the speed of sound increases.
The speed of sound varies heavily across different media (it is fastest in solids, slower in liquids, and slowest in gases).
Furthermore, the speed of sound is directly proportional to the square root of the absolute temperature (v∝
T
); as temperature increases, the speed of sound increases.