True or False: Sound travels faster in water than in air because water is less dense than air.

Sound travels faster in water than in air primarily because water is denser than air, not less dense. The speed of sound is influenced by the medium through which it travels; denser media generally allow sound waves to propagate more efficiently. In water, the molecules are closer together, allowing sound waves to be transmitted more quickly compared to the molecules in air, which are farther apart.

This fundamental property of sound propagation highlights why the statement is false. Additionally, temperature does have an impact on the speed of sound in different media, but the core reason for the speed difference between water and air remains related to density, with water being the denser medium.