University of Al-Ameed

College of Medicine
Department of Physiology
and Medical physics

Speed of sound
Asst.Lact. Hawraa H.Obaid
2022-2023
Purpose: Measurement the speed of sound from the sound
waves set up in the closed resonance tube.

Apparatus:-
1-Closed resonance tube of variable length (see figure).
2-Metal scale.
3-Tuning forks of different frequencies.
4-Rubber pad.
5-Thermometer.
 Sound Waves
• Sound is a longitudinal wave, meaning that the motion of particles is
along the direction of propagation
 Properties of Waves
 or T
pressure

• Wavelength () is measured from crest-to-crest

• For traveling waves (sound, light, water), there is a speed (c)

• Frequency (f) refers to how many cycles pass by per second

• measured in Hertz, or Hz: cycles per second
• associated with this is period: T = 1/f

• These three are closely related:

f = c
 The speed of sound
• The speed of sound in air is 343 meters per second (660 miles per
hour) at one atmosphere of pressure and room temperature (21°C).
• An object is subsonic when it is moving slower than sound.
Speed of Sound

• Medium velocity m/sec

air (20 C) 343

air (0 C) 331
water (25 C) 1493
sea water 1533
diamond 12000
iron 5130
copper 3560
glass 5640
• The human ear can only hear sounds between
• 20Hz and 20,000 Hz (Frequency/Pitch)

20 Hz – 20,000 Hz

Below 20 Hz is called infrasound

Above 20,000 Hz is called ultrasound

Resonance
the frequency of sound waves
exactly matches the natural frequency
of an object.
 Sonar
- Sonar uses reflected sound waves (echoes) to find objects in water or air

Humans use sonar to locate

or find objects

Animals use sonar or echo location to find their prey (food);

these sounds have such a high pitch or frequency that the human
ear cannot hear them
 Ultrasound (above 20,000 Hz)
Ultrasound waves are used in medicine They are also
reflected sound waves
• 1- Find the speed of sound in laboratory
(C) for each frequency.
• C= 2F (L2-L1) (m/s)

• 2- Find the speed of sound at 0℃ by

using the following formula:
273+𝑡
• 𝐶 = 𝐶0 t= Room temperature
273
If the speed of sound in laboratory (C)=325m/s,
t=20° Find the speed of sound at 0C °?