A student is performing an experiment comparing sound and light waves. The student gathers the following data.
Medium
Speed of Sound
Temperature
(°C)
0
25
100
Ice
Water
Steam
Speed of
Sound (m/s)
3200 m/s
1500 m/s
346 m/s
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.
O 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.
O 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.
Medium
Air
Water
Glass
Speed of Light
Index of
Refraction
1.00
1.33
1.57
Speed of Light
(m/s)
2.99 x 108
2.26 x 108
1.91 x 108

The correct answer is D. 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:

The experiment compares the speed of light and sound in different mediums (gas, liquid, and solid). The charts show sound travels faster in a solid medium (ice) than in liquids or gases as the speed in ice was 3200 m/s, while in the liquid was 1500 m/s and in the gas was 346 m/s. Thus, sound waves travel faster in solids, which occurs because for sound to travel particles need to bounce or vibrate, which occurs faster in solids as particles are packed together.

On the other hand, the data about light shows this travels faster in gases (air) because in this medium the speed of light is , while in a solid the speed is . This shows opposite to sound, light travels faster in gases, and therefore, the tightly packed particles of soil only slow down light waves.