The ratio of the velocity of sound in water compared to that for aluminum or steel is approximately

• A. 1:2
• B. 1:4
• C. 1:8
• D. 1:3

Answer: (B)

Sound travels faster in stiff solids than in liquids. Water carries the wave at about 1.5 km/s, while common metals like aluminum and steel are around 5–6 km/s. That makes water roughly one quarter the speed of these metals, giving a ratio near 1:4 for water to metal. The other options would imply speeds that don’t match these typical values for water versus metal.