Examine the given statements regarding sound passing through a gas: (A) The pressure of the gas at a point oscillates in time. (B) The position of a small layer of the gas oscillates in time.

Step-by-step solution

Sound waves in a gas are longitudinal mechanical waves consisting of compressions and rarefactions. As the wave propagates, the pressure at any given point in the gas increases and decreases periodically about its equilibrium value. Thus, the pressure of the gas at a point oscillates in time, making statement A correct. The particles of the gas, or a small layer of the gas, oscillate back and forth about their mean positions along the direction of wave propagation. Thus, the position of a small layer of the gas osc