Question

as sound moves through matter, if the density of the material increases, the speed of sound

Explanation:

Step1: Recall the relationship between sound speed and medium properties

The speed of sound \(v\) in a medium is related to the bulk modulus \(B\) and density \(
ho\) by the formula \(v = \sqrt{\frac{B}{
ho}}\).

Step2: Analyze the effect of density increase

When the density \(
ho\) of the material increases (assuming the bulk modulus \(B\) remains relatively constant for a simple analysis of the general trend in common materials), since \(v=\sqrt{\frac{B}{
ho}}\), as \(
ho\) gets larger, the value of \(\frac{B}{
ho}\) gets smaller. And the square - root of a smaller positive number is smaller.

Answer:

decreases