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Lab - Speed of Sound

This document describes a lab experiment to measure the speed of sound using resonance in air columns and carbon dioxide gas columns. Students use open and closed pipes of adjustable length to find the resonant frequencies of tuning forks, allowing calculation of the speed of sound. They measure the speed of sound in air at different temperatures and compare their results to the predicted values based on temperature. They also measure the speed of sound in carbon dioxide gas. The goal is to experimentally determine the speed of sound and compare the measured values to accepted literature values.

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84 views

Lab - Speed of Sound

This document describes a lab experiment to measure the speed of sound using resonance in air columns and carbon dioxide gas columns. Students use open and closed pipes of adjustable length to find the resonant frequencies of tuning forks, allowing calculation of the speed of sound. They measure the speed of sound in air at different temperatures and compare their results to the predicted values based on temperature. They also measure the speed of sound in carbon dioxide gas. The goal is to experimentally determine the speed of sound and compare the measured values to accepted literature values.

Uploaded by

한재인
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lab: The Speed of Sound

Background:

Sound is a longitudinal compression wave created by vibrating objects. It requires


a medium to travel through. In the case of air at the freezing point of water
(0 C), sound waves propagate (travel) at a speed of 343.3 m/s. However, for each
degree warmer the air is, sound travels about 0.59 m/s faster. Similarly, for each
degree cooler the air is, sound travels about 0.59 m/s slower. Put another way:

vsound = 331.5 m/s + (0.59 m/s/C)T

where T = the temperature of the air in C.

Today we will measure the speed of sound using resonance, and compare our results
with what we would predict given the temperature of the room.

Here is how resonance in an air column works:

When a wave moves from one type of medium (type of material) to another, some
of the energy of the wave is transmitted into the new medium, and some is
reflected back. This is why when you look out of a window, you can see both what
is on the other side of the window (because light from the other side is passing
through) as well as your own reflection (because some light from you is bouncing
back off the glass).

When sound waves travel through a pipe or a tube and reach the end, some of the
sound wave bounces back into the tube. This reflected sound wave interferes with
the sound waves still coming down the tube. If the incoming and reflected sound
waves are spaced just right, a resonance occurs. In other words, you have just
created a standing wave in the tube. When this happens, the sound waves
emanating from the tube sound louder. This is how you know your sound waves are
spaced just right. If you make your tube a little longer or shorter, you’ll lose your
resonance, and it will sound quieter.

For resonance to occur, your pipe should be exactly half as long as the wavelength
of the sound you are generating if your pipe is open, and should be exactly one
fourth as long if your pipe is closed.
Pre-Lab Questions:

Discuss these questions with your lab partner, then answer on a separate piece of
paper, which you’ll attach to your lab report:

1. What is a longitudinal wave?


2. What, physically, is the crest of a sound wave?
3. Under what circumstances do standing waves form, in general?
4. If you create a standing wave by shaking a spring up and down just right, a
node is the place on the spring that doesn’t bob up and down. What is the
node of a standing wave caused by resonating sound in an open pipe?
5. What is the speed of sound at 28 C?
6. If it’s 20 C, predict what length of open pipe would resonate a 440 Hz
tuning fork.
7. What if the pipe were closed?

Procedure:

1. Obtain a tuning fork. Record its frequency in Table 1.


2. Assume, for now, that the speed of sound is roughly 343 m/s today. Assume
room temperature conditions and estimate the wavelength of the sound
waves produced by your tuning fork, similar to what you did in Prelab #6.
Record this frequency in Table 1.
3. Use your answer to #2 to predict the length of a pipe that will resonate
your tuning fork. (See background).
4. Pick out a pair of pipes that can be adjusted to the length that you
predicted in #3. One partner should hold the tuning fork to one end of the
adjustable pipe while the other partner adjusts the length of the pipe until
the sound is its loudest. Record the length of the adjustable pipe when the
loudest noise is heard in Table 1.
5. Use the actual resonant length to calculate the actual wavelength of the
sound waves. Record this information in Table 1.
6. Use the actual wavelength and the known frequency of the tuning fork to
calculate the actual speed of sound. Record in Table 1.
7. Repeat Steps 1-6 with a tuning fork of a different frequency.
8. Determine the current temperature, in Celsius, of the room. Record in Table
2.
Table 1
Tuning Fork Estimated Predicted Actual Actual Calculated
Frequency wavelength length of resonating wavelength speed of
(Hz) of pipe (m) length (m) of sound (m/s)
soundwave soundwave
(m) (m)

Average ********** ********** ********** **********

Table 2
Temperature of room (C)

9. Wait – You didn’t think you were done, did ya? We’re not even halfway
there! Anyway, now you’re gonna repeat everything you just did. Except,
now you’re gonna use closed pipes! Ha HA! You can create a closed pipe of
adjustable length by placing an open pipe in water to various depths. Do
three trials using three different frequencies. Record all of your data in
Table 3, which should look similar to Table 1.
10. And now you’re done, right? NOPE!!! This is an honors-level class, after all!
Now that you’ve found the speed of sound in air, you’re going to find the
speed of sound in… carbon dioxide!!! Repeat everything you just did in #9,
but now, before dunking the pipe in water, place some tape over the end –
but not quite enough to seal the end – just enough to keep something from
falling out. What don’t you want to fall out? Two alka-seltzer table tablets
dropped right before you do your measurement! They’ll react with the
water, releasing carbon dioxide gas into the pipe. SCIENCE!!! Record all of
your data in Table 4, which should look similar to Table 3, which will look
similar to Table 1.

Analysis Questions:

1. Average your three calculated values for the speed of sound in Tables 1, 3,
and 4. Record this average in Tables 1, 3, and 4 as appropriate.
2. Use the temperature you recorded in Table 2 to calculate the speed of
sound. (See background) This will be considered the accepted value for the
speed of sound.
3. Use the intergoogles to find the speed of sound in carbon dioxide.
4. Find the % error between the values you calculated in #1 vs. the accepted
values. Remember:

% error = x 100%

5. Now write a full lab report. And don’t use the Comic Sans font. It’s childish.

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