What are sound waves?

Sound waves are indeed vibrations that travel through a medium, such as air, water, or solids. These vibrations are generated when an object vibrates, causing the surrounding particles in the medium to move. This movement creates areas of compression and rarefaction, which propagate through the medium as sound waves. Our ears or microphones can detect these waves, allowing us to perceive sound.

The ability of sound waves to travel through various media is key to their nature; they cannot travel through a vacuum because there are no particles to transmit the vibrations. This differentiates sound waves from electromagnetic waves, which can travel through a vacuum without a medium. Therefore, the correct understanding of sound waves encompasses their behavior as mechanical vibrations rather than disturbances that do not propagate (as implied in the other options).