Sound speed changes with temperature and height
Sound travels faster in warmer temperatures and slower at higher altitudes, impacting everything from echoes to supersonic flight and even how far thunder can be heard.
The speed of sound isn't fixed; it dramatically shifts with temperature and altitude. At sea level and 20 degrees Celsius, sound zips along at about 343 meters per second. However, for every degree Celsius warmer, it speeds up by about 0.6 meters per second because hotter air molecules vibrate faster.
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