Question

Can you hear any sound on the Moon?
A. Yes
B. No

Answer 1

Hint: Sound waves are mechanical waves. Mechanical waves are waves that need a medium for their propagation because they need the constituent particles of the medium to transport their energy. Space has a vacuum, i.e., there is no atmosphere or any form of matter in the surrounding. Considering these factors choose the correct answer.

Complete step by step answer:
Sound is produced in a material by a vibrating source. It compresses the medium past it, increasing the density locally as the vibrating source moves forward. This part of the medium compresses the layer next to it by collisions. The compression travels in the medium at a speed which depends on the elastic and inertia properties of the medium. It drags the medium and produces a rarefaction in the layer as the source moves back. The layer next to it is then dragged back and, thus, the rarefaction pulse passes forward. Thus by compression and rarefaction pulses are produced in the medium which travels in the same.

So, we can say that sound waves are mechanical waves in nature, as well as longitudinal waves. Mechanical waves are those waves that require a medium for their propagation. This happens due to the fact that they need the constituent particles of the medium to transfer their energy, which in this case happens in the form of rarefactions and compressions.
Now, on earth the atmosphere is present to support the propagation of the sound waves. While in space, a vacuum is present. Vacuum means that there is a presence of no matter in the space or so little that its presence is negligible. Moon is present in space, so it has no medium around it to support the propagation of sound by transfer of its energy into the constituent particles of the medium. Thus the absence of atmosphere on the Moon does not allow the propagation of sound and as a result, no sound can be heard on the moon.
Therefore, the correct answer is B. i.e. No, we cannot hear any sound on the moon.

So, the correct answer is “Option B”.

Note:
Sound waves are longitudinal in nature. Longitudinal waves vibrate parallel to the direction of propagation of the medium. The speed of sound in air under normal conditions is $334m{s^{ - 1}}$. Sound has other qualities like pitch, beat, loudness, etc.