Question

a student is performing an experiment comparing sound and light waves. the student gathers the following data.
what conclusion does the student most likely make based on this data?
light waves always travel the same speed; however, the speed of sound is determined by the medium that it travels through.
all sound waves always have the same energy, so the temperature of the medium does not affect wave speed.
light needs to vibrate particles, so it travels fastest in tightly packed solids, while sound does not need a medium, so it travels fastest in a gas.
tightly packed particles in solids slow down the light waves; however, sound waves make particles bounce into each other, so they travel faster in solids

Explanation:

• For light: As seen in the "Speed of Light" table, when moving from air (less - dense) to water (more - dense) to glass (even more - dense), the speed of light decreases. This is because tightly - packed particles in denser media (like solids and liquids compared to gases) interact with light waves and slow them down.
• For sound: In the "Speed of Sound" table, sound travels faster in ice (a solid) than in water (a liquid) and faster in water than in steam (a gas). Sound is a mechanical wave that travels by the vibration and collision of particles. In solids, particles are closely packed, so when one particle vibrates (due to the sound wave), it quickly collides with neighboring particles, transmitting the sound wave faster.

Answer:

Tightly packed particles in solids slow down the light waves; however, sound waves make particles bounce into each other, so they travel faster in solids.