Light can travel to the earth from a distant star, but sound cannot. Why is this?

J

Jones

Member
a. Light ia an electromagnetic wave and sound requires medium
b. The Sun does not make sound
c. Light is a longitudinal wave and sound is a transverse wave.
 
G

gintable

New member
The answer is A. Light propagates via the electromagnetic fields of empty space, rather than actually through a material medium. Sound is a wave in elastic media, and hence requires an actual material medium.


AND...yes, the sun DOES make sound. Helioaccoustic models have predicted what the sun would hypothetically sound like if you could hear it.
 
K

KenanDeHart

New member
the answer is A.

Sound is a vibration. And for vibration to occur, molecule must be being pushed from one to another begining at the source. ( Whatever is making the sound). Because of this, sounds travels more quickly through more dense items, and less quickly through less dense items, untill the item reaches 0 density ( space) In which case, the sound does not travel. However light, is a form a radiation, which basically spews out molecules at an exceedingly great speed. This has the opposite effect of sound, as the less molucules there are in the way of the light, the more clear the light will come out.
 
L

lxlvitulxl

New member
A

we are not sure about answer B , because we can't 'hear' the sun due to answer A
but C is definitely wrong because light is a transverse wave , otherwise it wouldn't be able to be polarised.
 
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