As a wave travels from a source, it propagates outward in all directions. There is one more aspect of wave travel to consider, which applies to both sound and light waves. So, underwater, or in our atmosphere, light will only travel some finite range (which is different depending on the properties of the material it travels through). In this case, some light is absorbed and lost as heat, just like sound. However, light can also travel within some materials, like glass and water. This is why light from distant stars can travel through space for billions of light-years and still reach us on earth. In empty space, the wave does not dissipate (grow smaller) no matter how far it travels, because the wave is not interacting with anything else. In contrast, light waves can travel through a vacuum, and do not require a medium. So, the sound wave gets smaller and smaller until it disappears. As the particles in the medium vibrate, energy is lost to heat, viscous processes, and molecular motion. Sound cannot travel through empty space it is carried by vibrations in a material, or medium (like air, steel, water, wood, etc). First, let's think about why sound does not travel forever.
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