Factors Affecting the Speed of Sound
As we know that sound wave needs a medium to travel. Hence, they are affected by the properties of the medium through which they travel. The speed of sound is affected by two factors:
- Density of the Medium
- Temperature of the Medium
Density of the Medium
Since sound waves need a medium to travel the speed of sound is dependent on the density. In a densely packed medium where the intermolecular space is minimum, the speed of sound is larger. Hence, the speed of sound is greatest in solids because of high density and lowest in gas because of low density and large intermolecular space. Thus we can say that the speed of sound increases with the density of the medium.
Temperature of the Medium
The speed of the sound is directly proportional to the temperature of the medium. This is because as the temperature rises there is an increase in the rate of collision among the particles of the medium, thus making the transfer of sound energy easy. As a result, as the temperature rises, so does the speed of sound. When temperature decreases the speed of sound also decreases. It has been observed that for each degree of temperature decreased, the speed of sound reduces by 0.6 m/s.
Note: It should be noted that at a constant temperature, the speed of sound is not affected by the pressure.
Speed of Sound
Speed of Sound as the name suggests is the speed of the sound in any medium. We know that sound is a form of energy that is caused due to the vibration of the particles and sound travels in the form of waves. A wave is a vibratory disturbance that transfers energy from one point to another point without the actual transfer of matter. Hence, when we speak the sound from our vocal cords reaches to listener’s ear in the form of a wave.
Since the sound travels from the source point to the destination point within a time period, this encourages us to calculate the speed of the sound with which it travels. Also, we know that Sound is a mechanical wave hence its speed of propagation varies in different materials. In this article, we will learn, what is sound, what is the definition of Speed of Sound and the Speed of Sound with which it propagates in different media.
Table of Content
- What is a Sound Wave?
- What is Speed of Sound?
- Speed of Sound Formula
- Factors Affecting the Speed of Sound
- Speed of Sound in Different Medium
- Sample Problems on Sound Waves