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Physics

Wave Speed

Quick fact

The speed of light in a vacuum is about 299,792 km/s, while the speed of sound in air at sea level is around 343 m/s—a difference of nearly a million times, all due to the properties of the medium.

Why this is interesting

You might have noticed that sound travels faster in water than in air, but why does it also travel faster through a metal wire? The answer lies in a property called wave speed.