Experiment No.

304: Kundt's Tube: Velocity of Sound in Solid

OBJECTIVE:
This experiment we conduct was to
determine the velocity of sound traveling in
a medium. The metal rod was enclosed in a
tube glass with some powder that can
illustrate the velocity of sound that we are
applying to the rod by pulling back and
forth. This friction causes vibration and later
it would be converted to sound inside the
tube. This experiment would also be
determine the speed of the sound traveling
throughout the tube by applying the
principles of resonance.

tube is a closed type apparatus because of

the one end stopped by a cork.

METHODOLOGY:
For the 1st part as show in figure 2 above,
we need to check if the rod was clamped at
the middle. We also checked the cork that
closed the tube if it was intact. We then
place it at the side of the table for it to be
easily used by the demonstrator.

In this experiment we will be using

materials as shown in figure-1 are Kundts
Tube Apparatus, meter stick, piece of cloth,
thermometer and rosin lycopodium powder.
The Kundts tube consists of a hollowed
glass tube, a metal rod and some clamps to
secure the rod in position. The metal rod is
needed to be clamped at the middle to saw
good outcomes through the experiment. The

In figure 3 our group mate demonstrate the

pulling back and forth of the rod with rosin
powder (figure 4) inside the cloth. This
vibration of the rod was due to the energy
that comes from the friction produced by
stroking cloth at the rod. The waves
produced inside after vibration is visibly
seen through the change of the powders
pattern inside the glass tube.

In figure 6 we were measuring the distance

between successive powders but it is
difficult to be measured accurately because
we cant locate the exact center of the dust.
We average the lengths of all the distance
and used that data.
DATA and SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS
Kundts Tube : Velocity of Sound in Solid
91.2 cm

Length of metal rod,

Lr
After the demonstration. We examine the
tube and gathered data to be used for the
computation. We also need to get the room
temperature of the air as shown in figure 5.

Average

length

powder segments,

of

10.5 cm

La

Temperature of air, t

27 C

Velocity of sound in air,

va

348.2 m/ s

Velocity of sound in the

3024.27 m/s

rod, v r

(Equation 3)

Velocity of sound in the

rod, v r

(Textbook)

3475 m/s

12.971

% Error

8700 kg /m3

9.110 1010 N /m2

vr =
3
8700 kg /m

Velocity of sound in the

rod, v r (Equation 4)

3234.157 m/s

v r =3234.157 m/ s

% Error

6.931

Density of the rod ,

Velocity of sound in the rod,

Percent Error:

vr

(Equation 3):
L v
vr = r a
La
vr =

91.2 cm348.2 m/s

10 .5 cm

error =

actual exp
100
actual

error =

34753234.157
100
3475

error =

6.931 %

v r =3024.27 m/s
GRAPH

Temperature vs. Velocity of sound

Percent Error:

3060

exp
error = actual
100
actual

3040

Velocity of sound (m/s) 3020

3000

error =

34753024.27
100
3475

error =

2980
24

27

30

Temperature (C)

12.971 %

Temperature vs. Velocity of sound

ANALYSIS OF DATA

Velocity of sound in the rod,

(Equation
vr =

vr
4):

The data we gathered from the experiment

shows that the sounds produced by the rod
can be used to solve for the velocity of
sound that transmitted through the air inside
the glass. The equation 3 had a bigger
percentage error from the equation 4 due to
that equation 4 only consist of two given
data which is youngs modulus and the
density of the rod. Equation 3 had a bigger

33

percentage error because it has many data

that are not that accurate and that would
need to be considered for the solving.
Problems Ive seen that it can be point out
for that high error are the inaccurate
measurement of the successive dust inside
the kundts tube, secondly is that the
temperature of the room is one to be
considered to be had an effect from the
velocity of air, and 3rd the placement of the
rod from the clamp. In successive
demonstration we cannot think that the
clamp can hold that excessive force from the
pulling back and forth of the demonstrator.
Another to be considered from the equation
3 that cause higher percentage error is the
insufficient powder from the tube. It is not
even from the whole tube and it sticks into
the glass because of the moist.
For the equation 4. Youngs modulus and the
density of the rod are all constant and that
can be the significance of lower error. It
only have 2 data to be considered to use so it
can lessen the error.
CONCLUSION
We did determine the velocity of sound and
the speed of it that was produced from the
rod throughout the tube. We manage to get
that from manipulating some conditions that
can produce resonance. Conditions like that
clamping of the rod at the middle so that we
can have the wave, and checking the rod and
the disk inside if it was contact with the
glass tube. This conditions were been

followed and by that we use the formulas

given from the laboratory manual.
I there conclude that the longitudinal wave
is produced as rod was pulled back and forth
were the wave has equal frequency making a
resonance. Vibration and the screeching
sound was observe from that demonstration
produces sound that where visible wave
patterns inside the tube.
As a method of imaging the Kundts tube
was the medium used for us humans to see
the idea of sound not only by hearing it, but
by seeing it actually.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I thanked my professor by sharing us many
good experiences and knowledge from this
subject. And for the lab assistants that was
giving us many techniques for us to do the
experiment easily. I also want to thank my
group mates who acts accordingly to our set
tasks.

REFERENCES
1

Halliday, Resnick, Walker, Principles of

Physics, Ninth Edition,