Question: A boy swimming in a lake smacks the surface of the water with his hand, creating sound waves that travel through the water and air. Which will hear the sound sooner, a fish swimming 5 m below the surface of the water, or a bird flying 5 m above the surface of the water? Justify your answer by discussing how sound travels through a medium.

Question

Kristina Harvey

Chemistry

21 February, 10:32

Question: A boy swimming in a lake smacks the surface of the water with his hand, creating sound waves that travel through the water and air. Which will hear the sound sooner, a fish swimming 5 m below the surface of the water, or a bird flying 5 m above the surface of the water? Justify your answer by discussing how sound travels through a medium.

+3

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Mara Horton · Answer 1

The speed of sound in air is about 340 m/s, while the speed of sound in water is about 1,500 m/s. In general, sound travels faster in denser media, so the fish hears the noise first.