Rank the states of matter by how tightly and strongly their particles are connected: solids the tightest, then liquids, then gases, and vacuum has nothing at all.
- In a solid like steel, atoms are locked in a rigid lattice with strong bonds, so a push on one atom reaches the next atom almost instantly.
- In a liquid like water, particles are close but can slide past each other, so the transmission of vibration is slower than in a solid.
- In a gas like air, particles are spread far apart and interact only through occasional collisions, making vibration transfer the slowest among ordinary matter.
- In vacuum, there are no particles to collide or vibrate, so sound cannot exist there at all.
This ranking places steel at the top for speed of sound, confirming option B as correct, while water and air trail behind and vacuum supports no sound whatsoever.