At 20°C, the speed of sound in water is approximately

The speed of sound in water is significantly higher than in air due to the medium's lower compressibility and higher density. At a temperature of 20°C, the speed of sound in freshwater is approximately 1481 m/s, while in seawater (with a salinity of 35 PSU), it is approximately 1522 m/s. General oceanographic data indicates that sound speed in the oceans typically ranges between 1450 m/s and 1570 m/s. The speed increases by roughly 4.5 m/s for every 1°C rise in temperature. Therefore, 1500 m/s is the most accurate approximation for the speed of sound in water at 20°C. In contrast, 330 m/s is the approximate speed of sound in air, and 5000 m/s is more characteristic of sound traveling through solids like steel or stone.