Question

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sound waves in air must be waves since air molecules are not attached to their neighboring molecules.
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Explanation:

Sound waves in air are longitudinal waves. In longitudinal waves, the particles of the medium (in this case, air molecules) vibrate parallel to the direction of wave propagation. Since air molecules are not attached to their neighboring molecules, they can move back and forth in the direction of the wave, which is characteristic of longitudinal waves. Transverse waves, on the other hand, require a medium where particles can move perpendicular to the wave direction (like in a string), which is not feasible for air molecules in the context of sound propagation.

Answer:

longitudinal