How does sound travel?: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Oct. 22, 2026

Photos and Videos

A diagram showing a dog barking with illustrated sound waves radiating through the air toward a person standing nearby, demonstrating how sound travels from the source to the human ear.

Diagram comparing longitudinal and transverse waves. The top shows parallel lines representing compressions and rarefactions in a longitudinal wave, with wavelength marked. The bottom shows a wavy line for a transverse wave, labeling crest, trough, amplitude, cycle, and direction of travel.

How sound travels

Understanding frequency and amplitude in sound

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