Question
Prove by an experiment that a material medium is necessary for the propagation of sound.
Answer
To prove that a material medium is necessary for the propagation of sound, we can use the following experiment with a bell jar:
Materials:
- Bell jar
- Electric bell
- Vacuum pump
Procedure:
- Place the electric bell inside the bell jar.
- Connect the bell to a power source.
- Turn on the vacuum pump to remove the air from the bell jar.
- Ring the electric bell.
Observations:
- When the bell jar is full of air, you will be able to hear the bell ringing.
- As the air is removed from the bell jar, the sound of the bell will become fainter and fainter.
- Once all of the air has been removed from the bell jar, you will not be able to hear the bell ringing at all.
Conclusion:
This experiment shows that sound cannot travel through a vacuum. This means that a material medium is necessary for the propagation of sound.
