Speed of Sound

Generally speaking, the time it takes for a sound wave to travel through a medium. Sound travels at different speeds through solids, liquids and gases, and though we usually think of sound as traveling through the air, differences in temperature, air pressure and humidity can also affect how fast sound travels.  For a starting frame of reference, the speed of sound is generally defined by aerospace engineers as “Mach 1.0,” translating to 340.29 meters per second (approx. 761.1 mph, or 1116 feet per second), which is how fast sound travels through the air at sea level at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit). By contrast, at 70 degrees Fahrenheit under standard atmospheric conditions, the speed of sound is about 344 m/s, or 770 mph. (See how complicated it can get?)