Frequency or wavelength affects both of them. While propagating at the interface of two media, both light and sound suffer loss of speed, change in direction or get absorbed. Both undergo refraction, diffraction and interference. Light and sound both are waves, but sound requires a material medium to travel, and hence cannot travel in empty space while light can travel through vacuum but not through opaque materials. Speed of sound depends on the ratio of density and pressure of the medium and also the temperature. It is the properties of sound waves that characterize sound namely frequency, wavelength, amplitude, speed and etc. Through gases, liquids and plasmas sound can be transmitted as longitudinal waves, while through solids, it can be transmitted as both longitudinal and transverse waves. Sound is composed of longitudinal waves (also called compression waves), that is, alternate compressions and expansions of matter parallel to the direction of wave. Presence of atoms, molecules or some structure is necessary for sound to travel it corresponds to the propagation of a disturbance through a medium. Sound can be interpreted as mechanical vibrations that travels through all forms of matter : gases, liquids, solids and plasmas. Intensity, frequency or wavelength, direction and polarization are some of the primary properties of light. Light can be emitted and absorbed as tiny energy packets named “photons”. Apart from being a wave, light exhibits properties of particles. Light travels through air and vacuum at an speed of around 3 x (10) 8 ms -1. In empty space, where there is no substructure, the speed of light is independent of wave frequency. Light travels as transverse waves transverse to the direction of propagation. Light is the most familiar form of electromagnetic waves. Light falls into the category of electromagnetic waves, while sound is a mechanical wave. Light triggers the sensation of seeing and sound stimulates the hearing. Light and sound play a vital role in human life.
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