Sound travelling in sea waters?

Question

Sound travels faster in sea waters than on land due to the greater density in sea waters. In which way, does the greater density allows sound travel faster in sea waters?

Answer 1

Firstly, the statement in your question is misleading, and possibly incorrect. Did you mean "through land", or "through the air (over land)"? The first interpretation would be incorrect, because sound travels faster in many solids than it does in sea water.

Secondly, greater density actually slows sound down. It's the rigidity of the material that makes sound travel faster, the formula being:

speed v = (elastic modulus/density)^½.

Water is much less compressible (has a much higher elastic modulus) than air, and so sound travels faster in water, despite (not because of) its higher density.