Note the air temperature, and then invite some friends to help you see how far and fast different sounds can carry.

The next time youвЂ™re looking for a fun outdoor activity, try experimenting with sound. By making air less dense, low humidity helps sound waves move faster. For instance, humidity also has an impact. Temperature isnвЂ™t the only thing that affects the speed of sound. Have you ever noticed that youвЂ™re able to hear sounds from farther away on cold days? ItвЂ™s not just your imagination! While sound moves faster in warm air, it doesnвЂ™t travel as far as it does in colder temperatures. At sea level and standard atmospheric conditions, the speed of sound is 345 meters per second (equivalent to 770 mph or 1239 kph). The speed of sound changes with altitude and temperature. Can you guess what happens on the coldest winter days? If you think sound travels slower, youвЂ™re right! Air molecules move at a slower pace when the temperature is cold, so they carry sound waves at a slower pace as well. The sonic boom occurs as the aircraft reaches the speed of sound or Mach 1 (relative to the air around it, not ground speed). That means they also carry sound waves faster, increasing the speed of sounds. The temperature outside on any given day is determined by the speed of air molecules. Everything you see is made from molecules: computer screens, house plants, pieces of paper, and even your own body! The air youвЂ™re breathing also contains molecules. When these molecules move slower, the temperature cools.

create vibrations that travel throughout space at the speed of light. According to the modern theory of sound wave density perturbation is considered as mass variation in constant volume without heat transfer i.e. Heat is a form of energy-the faster a mediumвЂ™s molecules move, the higher its temperature is. Space is a near-perfect vacuum, and ordinary sound carries only where there is. (Photo by Reuters/Gene Blevins) In May, Virgin Galactic. What does temperature have to do with this? You may have learned a bit about this topic in school. The companys VSS Unity spacecraft successfully reached an altitude of 30 miles at more than twice the speed of sound in a July test flight. These molecules carry sound waves from their source to your ears! The waves canвЂ™t travel through a vacuum-they rely on the molecules of any given medium.

Cold, snowy days can provide their own sort of fun!Дid you know temperature can even change the speed of sound? ItвЂ™s true! Are you WONDERing how? LetвЂ™s start by talking about what sound is. Humid or rainy afternoons make this more difficult. Warm days might welcome you outside to play a game with friends. WhatвЂ™s todayвЂ™s temperature where you live? The rising and falling of temperatures affects many parts of life.

Speed of sound in space