Does sound travel faster in air or water?
water If you’re comparing the speed of sound in water vs in air, it all has to do with the greater density of water. The molecules are closer together in water, and so sound waves (which are longitudinal) can travel faster. Don’t even think about refraction here. Refraction of sound isn’t in play when you are talking about sound just traveling through one consistant medium. If you had water changing depths or temperature, or if the sound traveled through water and then through air, then you’d have to consider refraction.
