In which of the following media is the speed of sound the greatest under normal conditions ?
Steel
Sound travels as a mechanical wave that needs a medium, and its speed depends on how tightly the particles of the medium are bonded together and how quickly they can pass on vibrations.
In solids, particles are packed very closely and held by strong intermolecular forces, so vibrations are transmitted fastest. In liquids the particles are less tightly bound, giving a lower speed, and in gases like air the particles are far apart, giving the lowest speed among the three. Sound cannot travel through vacuum at all since there are no particles to carry the vibration.
Therefore, the speed of sound is greatest in steel.
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