What is the speed of sound in metals?

• A. 2,000 to 7,000 m/s
• B. 3,500 m/s
• C. 1,560 m/s
• D. 330 m/s

Answer: (A)

The speed of sound depends on how stiff a material is and how dense it is. Metals are very stiff and, though they’re dense, this combination makes sound travel much faster than in gases. For longitudinal waves in metals, speeds typically fall into a broad range of thousands of meters per second, because different metals have different elastic properties and densities. So, 2,000 to 7,000 m/s captures the common variability across metals, making it the best answer for a general statement about metals.

Saying a single value, like 3,500 m/s, would ignore that metals vary widely—some metals carry sound faster, others a bit slower within that general range. And 330 m/s is the speed in air, not metal, while 1,560 m/s is not representative of metals as a group.