MP Board · Class 9 · Science · SoundExplain compressions and rarefactions in a longitudinal sound wave.

When a vibrating object moves forward, it pushes and compresses the air in front of it, creating a region of high pressure and high density called a compression (C). When the vibrating object moves backward, it creates a region of low pressure and low density called a rarefaction (R). As the object vibrates rapidly, a series of compressions and rarefactions are produced in the medium, allowing sound to travel forward through it.