Mason Blake
The speed of sound is the distance travelled per unit of time by a sound wave as it propagates through an elastic medium. It is typically measured in meters per second (m/s) or feet per second (fps) in the International System of Units (SI) or the imperial unit system. The speed of sound in fps is predominantly used in the United States, while m/s is used in most other parts of the world. The speed of sound in air is approximately 1,126 feet per second (fps) or 344 m/s, and it can vary depending on factors such as temperature, humidity, and the medium through which the sound is travelling.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Speed of sound in feet per second (FPS) in air at room temperature | 1,125 feet per second |
| Speed of sound in feet per second (FPS) in air at 20°C | 1,126 feet per second |
| Speed of sound in feet per second (FPS) in air at 0°C | 1,086-1,090 feet per second |
| Speed of sound in water in feet per second (FPS) | 4,900 feet per second |
| Speed of sound in steel in feet per second (FPS) | 16,000 feet per second |
| Speed of sound in an ideal gas | Depends on temperature and composition |
| Factors influencing speed of sound | Temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind, and medium |
| Speed of sound in air in meters per second (m/s) | 343-344 m/s |
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What You'll Learn
Speed of sound in water
The speed of sound in water is a quantification of how fast sound travels in water. Sound moves faster in water than in air because water is denser and less compressible than air. The speed of sound in water depends on temperature, salinity, and pressure, and is therefore not uniform throughout different water environments.
The speed of sound in water was first measured by Jean-Daniel Colladon and Charles Sturm at Lake Geneva in 1826. They found a value of 1437.8 m/s in water at 8°C. This differs from the modern value by 1 m/s.
In salt water that is free of air bubbles or suspended sediments, sound travels at about 1500 m/s. The speed of sound in seawater depends on pressure (hence depth), temperature (a change of 1°C results in a change of about 4 m/s), and salinity (a change of 1‰ results in a change of about 1 m/s).
There are two ways to measure the speed of sound in water in situ. The first method involves sending a small acoustic signal to a receiver at a known distance, such as with a sound velocity profiler. The second method involves measuring the variables affecting sound velocity in water (salinity, temperature, and pressure) with a CTD and calculating sound speed empirically.
Ocean acoustics is the study of sound and its behaviour in the sea. When underwater objects vibrate, they create sound-pressure waves that alternately compress and decompress the water molecules as the sound wave travels through the sea. Sound waves radiate in all directions away from the source, and the compressions and decompressions associated with sound waves are detected as changes in pressure by the structures in our ears and most man-made sound receptors such as hydrophones.
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Speed of sound in steel
The speed of sound is the distance travelled per unit of time by a sound wave as it propagates through an elastic medium. In simpler terms, the speed of sound is how fast vibrations travel. The speed of sound is dependent on the medium through which the sound wave is propagating. Typically, sound travels slowest in gases, faster in liquids, and fastest in solids.
Sound waves in solids are composed of compression waves and a different type of sound wave called a shear wave, which only occurs in solids. The speed of compression waves in solids is determined by the medium's compressibility, shear modulus, and density. The speed of shear waves, on the other hand, is determined solely by the solid material's shear modulus and density.
The speed of sound in steel at 20°C is approximately 5,000 m/s. This value can vary slightly depending on the specific composition and temperature of the steel. The speed of sound in steel is significantly faster than in air, where sound travels at around 343 m/s at 20°C.
The high speed of sound in steel is due to its inherent properties as a solid material with a high modulus of elasticity and density. The modulus of elasticity measures the ability of a material to resist deformation under stress, and it plays a crucial role in determining the speed at which sound waves propagate through a solid medium. Additionally, the density of steel affects the speed of sound by providing more particles for the sound waves to interact with, facilitating faster propagation.
It is important to note that the speed of sound in steel is not just a theoretical concept. It has practical applications in various fields, including materials science, engineering, and acoustics. For example, in ultrasonic testing, understanding the speed of sound in steel is crucial for accurately measuring the thickness of steel components using ultrasonic thickness gauges. By knowing the speed at which ultrasound waves travel through steel, technicians can interpret the time it takes for the sound waves to travel through the material and bounce back to a receiver, providing an accurate measurement of the steel's thickness.
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Speed of sound in air at 20°C
The speed of sound refers to the distance travelled per unit of time by a sound wave as it propagates through an elastic medium. In simpler terms, the speed of sound is how fast vibrations travel. The speed of sound is typically measured in meters per second (m/s) or feet per second (fps) in the International System of Units (SI) or the imperial unit system.
The speed of sound in air at 20°C is about 343 m/s or 1,125 ft/s. This is equivalent to 1,235 km/h or 767 mph. The speed of sound in air at 20°C can also be expressed in knots, which is approximately 667 kn.
The speed of sound is influenced by several factors, including temperature, humidity, and the medium through which the sound wave is travelling. For example, sound travels faster in warmer air. For each degree Celsius increase in temperature, the speed of sound increases by about 0.6 ft/s. Moist air is less dense than dry air, so sound travels faster in humid air. Additionally, the type of medium affects the speed of sound. Generally, sound travels fastest in solids, followed by liquids, and then gases.
The speed of sound in an ideal gas depends only on its temperature and composition. However, in dry air, the speed of sound also has a weak dependence on frequency and pressure. The speed of sound can vary with altitude, as the temperature of the air changes with height, resulting in variations in the speed of sound.
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Speed of sound in air at 0°C
The speed of sound in dry air at sea level (14.7 psi) and 0°C is approximately 331 metres per second or 1,086 feet per second. This is equivalent to 1,192 kilometres per hour, 740 miles per hour, or 643 knots.
The speed of sound in air is dependent on its temperature and composition. The speed is also weakly dependent on frequency and pressure in dry air, deviating from ideal behaviour. The speed of sound increases with temperature, at a rate of about 0.6 m/s per degree Celsius. This relationship between speed and temperature was first demonstrated by G. L. Bianconi in 1740.
Early measurements of the speed of sound were inconsistent, and it was suspected that wind speed and temperature might be factors influencing the discrepancies. In 1738, the Academy of Sciences of Paris used a cannon as a source of sound and found that when there was no wind, the speed of sound at 0°C was 332 m/s, which is remarkably close to the modern accepted value.
Humidity also affects the speed of sound, causing it to increase by about 0.1%-0.6%. This is because the oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the air are replaced by lighter water molecules. However, the effect of humidity is more pronounced at higher temperatures.
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Speed of sound at high altitudes
The speed of sound is the distance travelled per unit of time by a sound wave as it propagates through an elastic medium. It is typically measured in meters per second (m/s) or feet per second (fps). The speed of sound is about 1,126 feet per second (fps) under standard conditions at sea level and a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius or 68 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the speed of sound at high altitudes is significantly different.
At high altitudes, the speed of sound varies greatly, ranging from approximately 295 meters per second (m/s) or 1,060 kilometers per hour (km/h) to about 355 m/s or 1,280 km/h. This variation is due to changes in temperature and pressure with increasing altitude. As temperature decreases with altitude, the speed of sound also decreases, creating an acoustic shadow where sound is refracted upward, away from listeners on the ground.
The decrease in the speed of sound with increasing altitude is known as a negative sound speed gradient. This trend continues up to an altitude of about 11 kilometers. However, in the stratosphere above 20 kilometers, the speed of sound begins to increase with height due to rising temperatures within the ozone layer, resulting in a positive sound speed gradient.
Another region of positive gradient occurs in the thermosphere at extremely high altitudes above 90 kilometers. At these extreme altitudes, the concept of the speed of sound becomes less applicable due to the significant impact of atmospheric pressure and the mean free path of molecules in a gas. Aircraft flight instruments use pressure differentials to compute Mach number, which is the ratio of airspeed to the local speed of sound, rather than temperature, as pressure is considered a more reliable indicator of altitude.
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Frequently asked questions
The speed of sound in air at room temperature is approximately 1,125 feet per second (fps). This is equivalent to around 343 meters per second (m/s).
The speed of sound is influenced by temperature, humidity, and the medium through which the sound wave is travelling. For example, sound travels faster in solids than in liquids and gases.
Sound travels faster in warmer air. For each degree Celsius increase in temperature, the speed of sound increases by about 0.6 ft/s.
The speed of sound in water is approximately 4,900 fps, while in steel, it can be as high as 16,000 fps.
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