Elephants communicate over long distances using infrasonic sounds, which are low-frequency sound waves typically below the range of human hearing (below 20 Hz). These low-frequency waves are highly effective for long-distance transmission because they experience less attenuation by the atmosphere and can travel through the ground, allowing elephants to coordinate and signal across vast territories.

The speed of sound is determined by the medium's density and elastic properties. Generally, sound travels fastest in solids because the intermolecular forces are strongest, allowing for rapid transmission of energy. It travels slower in liquids and slowest in gases, where particles are more spread out and intermolecular forces are weaker.

The time period (T) is the inverse of the frequency (f), defined by the formula T = 1/f. Given a frequency of 50 Hz, the calculation is T = 1 / 50 = 0.02 seconds. This means the wave completes one full oscillation every 0.02 seconds.

The speed of sound in a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of its molar mass. Since the molar mass of oxygen (32 g/mol) is 16 times that of hydrogen (2 g/mol), the speed of sound in hydrogen is the square root of 16, which is 4 times faster than in oxygen.

Sound is a mechanical wave that requires a medium to propagate. It can travel through solids, liquids, and gases because these states of matter possess the necessary elasticity and inertia to transmit vibrations between particles.

The speed of sound in a gas is proportional to the square root of its absolute temperature. As the temperature of the gas increases, the kinetic energy of the gas molecules increases, allowing the wave disturbance to propagate more rapidly through the medium.

Sound is a mechanical wave that requires a material medium, such as a solid, liquid, or gas, to transmit its energy through the vibration of particles. In a vacuum, there are no particles to vibrate or collide, meaning there is no medium for the sound wave to travel through. Therefore, sound cannot propagate in a vacuum.

The quality or timbre of a sound is the property that distinguishes sounds of the same pitch and loudness produced by different sources. It is determined by the waveform and the presence of different harmonics or overtones, allowing us to identify the source of the sound, such as different musical instruments.

The speed of sound in air at 20 °C is approximately 343 m/s. Using the wave equation v = fλ, where v is velocity and f is frequency, we calculate λ = 343 / 20,000, which equals 0.01715 meters, or approximately 1.7 × 10^-2 meters.

Sound travels fastest in solids because the particles in a solid are more closely packed and have stronger intermolecular forces compared to liquids and gases. This allows the mechanical vibrations to be transmitted more efficiently and rapidly between adjacent atoms.