Experiment 2: Velocity of Sound

Laboratory Report
Chelsea Leigh Tan, Kyle Gabriel Tanchuling, Ma. Agatha Beatrice Uson, Angelica Uy, Louise
Erika Vargas

Department of Math and Physics

College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
España, Manila Philippines

Abstract wavelength of sound can be determined

The speed of sound is simply its velocity
which passes through an elastic mechanical
medium (such of which are air, water,
concrete, etc.). The speed of sound in a liquid
medium is used for the measurement of speed
itself. In the experiment, a medium filled with
water was vibrated against a tuning fork. The
tuning fork was used to get the vibration to
obtain the speed of sound. The amount of
water in the medium determines this speed,
an increase or decrease in this will give a
loud sound at some point. This sound
indicates a resonance. The speed of sound
from the experiment was then compared to
the actual speed of sound at 0°C which is
331.4 m/s.
I. Introduction
Experiment 2 is all about the velocity of
sound. The velocity of sound can be
determined through the use of the equation:
𝑣 = 𝑓 ∙ 𝜆, where v = velocity of sound f =
frequency λ = wavelength. For this
experiment, a tuning fork with a known
frequency is used to determine the velocity of
sound in air. On the other hand, the
through an air column's resonance. In this
experiment, a long cylindrical plastic tube is
used. This plastic tube is attached to a water
reservoir. The volume of the water may be
changed by lowering down, or raising the
water level. While changing the water level,
a tuning fork is then held over the open end
of the cylindrical plastic tube. There is an
indication of resonance when there is a
sudden increase in the intensity of sound.
In this experiment, students are expected
to
❖ To verify the relationship between
frequency of sound and its
wavelength
❖ To determine the speed of sound by
means of a resonating air column
❖ To determine the velocity of sound in
a solid using a vibrating rod.
II. Theory
A sound wave is a longitudinal and
vibrational wave that travels through a
medium, and oscillates along the direction of
propagation. The speed or velocity of sound

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is dependent on how fast the energy of the
vibration can be transferred across the
medium. The wavelength and frequency of
sound in a medium is related by the formula:
𝑣 =𝑓∙𝜆
where v = velocity of sound propagation/
speed of sound in the medium
f=frequency of the sound
λ = wavelength of the sound in the
medium
The wavelength of sound produced in a
resonance tube may be determined by this
formula:
𝜆 = 4(𝐿 + 0.3𝐷)
where λ = wavelength of the sound produced
L = distance between the point of the
loudest sound and the top of the glass tube
D = diameter of the resonance tube
0.3 = constant

The frequency can be computed by Note that the L must be in meters as well
deriving the formula as D. For solids, the speed of sound can be
determined from the formula:
𝑣 = 𝑓 ∙ 𝜆 into:
𝑣 𝑉𝑅 = 𝑓𝜆𝑅
𝑓=
𝜆
where VR = speed of sound in the solid
The same goes for determining the
f = frequency of the sound wave
wavelength:
𝑣 λR = wavelength of sound in the
𝜆= solid, which is also equal to twice the length
𝑓
of the solid
The speed is also dependent on the
temperature of the medium. The formula for The theoretical speed of sound in a
the speed of sound in air with a specific solution can be computed using the formula:
temperature is:
𝑌
v = 331.4 m/s + 0.6t 𝑉𝑅 = √
ρ
where v = velocity of the wave
where VR = speed of sound in the solid
t = temperature of air in °C
Y = Young's modulus
331.4 m/s = speed of sound at 0˚C
ρ = density of the solid
0.6 = constant
III. Methodology
The formula shows that as the
Activity 1: Resonating Air Column
temperature increases, the speed of sound
also increases.

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 Start with the water near the top of the
resonance tube apparatus. Strike a tuning fork
with the rubber mallet. Place the vibrating
tuning fork over the top of the glass tube.
Lower the water vessel slowly until you hear
the loudest sound. Mark the point where you
hear the sound. Be sure that the fork is
vibrating as you lower the vessel. If not,
strike the fork again.
Measure the distance between this point
and the top of the glass tube. Record this as
L. Don’t forget to convert this distance to
meters. Measure the diameter (D) of the
resonance tube.
Compute the wavelength of sound
produced Make two more trials and
determine the average wavelength Using the
average wavelength and the frequency
engraved in the tuning fork. Compute for the
velocity of sound in the air inside the glass
tube using the formula. Velocity = frequency
x wavelength. Determine the temperature in
degrees Celsius of air inside the glass tube.
Be sure that the thermometer is not touching
the water. Compute the speed of sound in air
at that temperature.
Compare the speed in step 10 with the
speed in step 8 by computing the % error. Use
the speed obtained in step 10 as the accepted
value. Repeat the procedure for the other
tuning forks. Record your data and
observations in the Data and Results table in
the succeeding page.
Activity 2: Speed of Sound (from Physics with
Computers)
Connect Vernier microphone to Channel
1 of the interface. Position this microphone
near the open end of a closed tube. Open the
file “24 Speed of Sound” in Physics with
Computer file. As soon as data collection
begins, snap your fingers or clap your hands
near the tube. From the graph that you will
see on your computer screen, determine the
time interval between the start of the first
vibration and the start of the echo vibration.
Note that this time interval is the time for
sound to travel through the tube and back.
Compute for the speed of sound by
dividing the length of the tube by ½ of the
time interval obtained in step 5. Compute for
the % error with the same accepted value
used in activity 1.
Activity 3: Speed of Sound in Solid
Place a thin layer of cork dust as
uniformly as possible inside the Kundt’s
tube. Clamp the rod at its center. Rub the rod
with a piece of cloth with coarse powder.
This will set the rod into vibration producing
sound of high frequency.
A standing wave pattern will be formed
in the cork dust inside the glass tube. Measure
the distances between two consecutive
displacement nodes. Get the average of these
distances.
Determine the frequency of sound
produced. Using this frequency, determine
the speed of sound (VR) in the rod. Compute
for the theoretical speed of sound in the rod.
Compute for the % Error.
IV. Results and Discussion
Activity 1:
Temperature of Air = 250
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Diameter of Resonance Tube A large percentage error was obtained. The
error was caused by the following: 1)
at 320Hz = 0.040m intensity of striking the tuning fork, 2) the
at 512Hz = 0.048m. observers’ lack of concentration, 3) and
maybe the medium itself.
Table 1. Wavelengths of tuning fork(s)
Frequency Wavelength (m) Activity 2:
of tuning
fork Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Length of tube = 0.45m
Table 2. Total travel time of sound wave
512Hz 0.3384m 0.3504m 0.3424m
Trial Total travel time
320Hz 0.552m 0.472m 0.532m
1 0.00235s

Table 1.1. Cont. of Table 1 2 0.00268s

Average
wave- Experiment Theoretic % Average 2.52x10-3s
length al Speed al Speed error Experimental speed 357.14m/s
0.3437m 175.97m/s 326m/s 46.02% Theoretical speed 346m/s
0.5187m 165.98m/s 326m/s 49.08% % error 3.22%

Frequency of sound and wavelength are As discussed earlier, the speed of sound
inversely proportional. If the frequency only depends on the medium and its
increases, the shorter the wavelength and vice properties. One thing that can only change
versa. However, the speed of sound is not the speed of sound is by changing the
dependent on the frequency or the medium itself. One property of a medium is
wavelength. The speed of sound depends on amplitude. Speed of sound is also determined
the properties of the medium, amplitude for by the square root of compressibility
example. The temperature also affects the modulus, in Pascal (Pa).
speed of sound, giving the direct
proportionality of the two properties of Activity 3:
waves. Molecules having a higher
# of nodes = 10
temperature travel faster in a medium. Thus,
this gives them the ability to move quickly in Table 3. Speed of sound in solid
the medium; a higher velocity than in liquid Average of distances 1.911m
or gas phase. between node to
node
In the graph given above, the relationship Wavelength of sound 3.8m
of the frequency and wavelength in the in air
Frequency of sound 8664.92Hz
medium follows the theory of sound waves.

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 Length of rod 1.122m
Wavelength of sound 0.0382m
in rod
Experimental speed of 331.17m/s
sound in the rod
Theoretical speed of 331.00m/s
sound in the rod
% error 0.0513%
Speed of a sound is most likely to be
fastest in a solid material. For liquid, it is
faster than the speed of sound in gases. The
molecules that make up the space of the solid
is very intact, allowing the sound to travel
faster in a solid medium. The velocity of
sound is defined with two properties: density
and elasticity.
V. Conclusion
This experiment shows that the velocity
of sound in the air can be found by using
tuning forks of knowns frequency, and that
the air column’s resonance can determine the
wavelength of the sound. In the experiment,
we concluded that the frequency of sound is
inversely proportional to that of its
wavelength, we also used the resonating air
column to determine the speed of sound, and
finally we used a vibrating rod to determine
the velocity of sound in a solid.
VI. Applications
1. What is the relation between frequency
and wavelength of sound produced in a
medium?
- The relationship of frequency and
wavelength are inversely
proportional, they are related to
velocity of a sound wave with the
formula:
𝑣 =𝑓∙𝜆
So if the velocity is constant (sound is
constant in a medium of constant
density) then as the frequency
increases, wavelength will decrease
and vice versa.
2. What is the use of water in activity 1.
- A closed end tube would resonate if
its length is 1/4 the wavelength of the
sound. If its length is 3/4, 5/4, and 7/4
wavelength long it could also
resonate. Increasing the length of a
vibrational system (the air inside the
tube) would result in an increase in
the wavelength and a decrease in the
natural frequency of the system.
On the other hand, if the length of the
vibrational system is decreased, the
wavelength decreases and the natural
frequency increases. This only means
that changing the water level in the
tube would result to the matching of
the natural frequency of the air in the
tube and frequency where the tuning
fork vibrates.
When this matching is achieved, the
tuning fork forces the air column in
the tube to vibrate at its own natural
frequency. This results to a resonance
which is always a big vibration (loud
sound).
To sum everything up, the water
serves a medium where the vibration
(sound) travels.
3. In medical practice, ultrasound in the
range of 1 to 5 megahertz is being used
as an imaging modality. The associated
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 wavelengths in a typical human tissue
range from 0.3mm to 0.06mm. Find the
velocity of ultrasound in the tissue.
- By using the fomula 𝑣 = 𝑓 ∙ 𝜆, the
velocity of ultrasound could be
computed.
(1 + 5) (0.3 + 0.06)
𝑣= ∙
2 2
= 3 ∙ 0.18
= 0.52 𝑚𝑚/𝑠
4. The outer ear of a human may be
thought of as a closed pipe 2.7 cm long
on the average. What frequency would
be most effectively detected by the ear
at 30°C.
- 1.67 frequency.
6. If you were lying on the ground, would
you hear footsteps sooner or later with
your ear touching the ground or not?
- You would hear the footsteps sooner
with your ear touching the ground.
The reason behind this is solids
conducts better than air.
References
[1] http://www.csun.edu/scied/1-demo/reson
ance_tube/resonance_tube.htm (retrieved on
September 21, 2017)
[2] http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/
sound/Lesson-5/Resonance (retrieved on
September 21, 2017)

5. Suppose that we increase the

temperature of the air through which a
sound wave is traveling. A) what effect
does this have on the velocity of the
wave? Explain B) for a given
frequency, what effect does increasing
the temperature have on the
wavelength of the sound wave?
Explain.
- An increase in the temperature of the
air give an increase in velocity of the
sound waves. Since warmer air has a
higher average velocity, increase in
temperature would allow the air to
transfer the energy more rapidly.

- Since the velocity is equal to the

product of the wavelength and
frequency, an increase in the
temperature would increase the
wavelength since the frequency is the
same.

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