As a mechanical wave, sound requires a medium in order to move from its source to a distant location. A sound wave is a mechanical wave that propagates along or through a medium by particle-to-particle interaction. Water waves and sound waves are examples of mechanical waves. Light waves are different from mechanical waves, however, because they can travel through a vacuum.

Sound waves are mechanical waves because they need a material medium for propagation, like air or liquids like water, or metals like silver. Light waves are not considered mechanical waves because they don’t involve the motion of matter. Mechanical waves can be classified into two categories based on the motion of the particles – longitudinal and transverse. Sound waves cannot move through a vacuum. In longitudinal waves, the vibration or periodic disturbance takes place in the same direction as that of the propagation of the wave. Compression Waves Sound waves are mechanical waves since they must travel through a medium such as air, water, or solids in order to be heard. That is the defining criterion for a mechanical wave, and the answer to your question. Mechanical waves are waves that require a medium in which to travel, i.e., a solid or fluid. The sound waves are called mechanical waves because they need a material medium( like solid, liquid or gas ) for their propagation. In transverse waves, the vibration or periodic disturbance takes place in a direction perpendicular to that of the propagation of the wave. Receiving sound waves is the process by which sound travels in form of waves and is received by our eardrums to be heard. Most of the mathematics and properties of mechanical waves apply to light waves. The sound wave involve the vibrations of the particles of the medium through which they travel .

As sound needs a medium to travel, sound is a mechanical wave. Sound cannot travel through a region of space that is void of matter (i.e., a vacuum).

Light waves are just one type of electromagnetic …