Why Can't Sound Travel Through Empty Space?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why can't sound travel through empty space?

The Big Idea

Sound cannot travel through empty space because it needs something to pass through! Sound is a vibration that moves through air, water, or metal. In space there is almost nothing to carry it.

Sound Needs Stuff

Step one: sound needs something. Sound is a vibration, a push that passes from one tiny particle to the next. Air, water, and metal are all made of particles that can pass the push along. Without them, there is nothing to shake.

Space Is Nearly Empty

Step two: space is nearly empty. Between the planets and the stars, there is almost nothing at all. With no particles to carry the push, the vibration has nowhere to go.

Silent but Busy

Step three: a silent universe. Huge things happen in space, like exploding stars and speeding comets. But the sound cannot cross the gap, so space is nearly silent. Light can cross space, but sound cannot.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Air has particles that pass sound along. Water carries sound, too. And metal carries sound very well. But space is nearly empty, so sound cannot cross it.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Space is not empty of light, just of air. Light can cross space, so we can see the stars. Astronauts talk with radios, which send waves that do not need air. Sound still works inside a spacecraft, because it has air.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, give it a go! Write three ways astronauts could talk without sound traveling through air. Hand signals, lights, and radio. Then play a silent charades game with a friend. Use only gestures!

Outro

Sound needs something to travel through, and space has almost nothing. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!