Speed of Sound
Materials used
- graduated cylinder
- hollow pipe
- tuning fork (any note)
- water
- ruler
Activity Description:
The purpose of this project was to calculate the speed of sound by using only a graduated cylinder, a tuning fork, and a pole. We did this by filling the graduated cylinder with water, then placing the hollow pole in the water. Then one person hit the tuning fork and placed it over one of the ends of the pipe. The other person lifted the pipe up and down in the water until the air in the pole was vibrating at its resident frequency. Then another person would measure the pole from the top of the water to the top of the pole, and measure the diameter of the pole. From there we calculated the speed of sound based on the length of the waves of air in the pole
Procedure:
First we placed the pipe in the graduated cylinder full of water. Then one person held the vibrating tuning fork over the pipe while the other person moved the pipe up and down until the resident frequency was found. The resident frequency is the frequency that the air naturally wants to vibrate at. We know when it was found because the sound echoed evenly, and it became louder. After the resident frequency was found we measured from the top of the water to the top of the pipe and measured the diameter of the hollow pipe. Next we had to calculate for the small distance between the tuning fork and the pole. To do that we multiplied the diameter of the pole by 4/10. When we added that to the original number and multiplied by 4, we got the full wavelength. Then we calculated the speed of sound by using the wavelength and frequency. After that we calculated our percent error based on the expected speed of sound in our room.
Findings:
Length of tube when resonance occurred 26 (cm)
Diameter of Tube2 (cm)
Diameter of tube X 0.40.8 (cm)
1/4 Wavelength (cm)
26.8 (cm)
Wavelength1.072 (m)
Frequency (Hz= 1/s)
320 (Hz)
Speed of Sound 343.04 (m/s)
Room Temperature 68 (F)
Expected speed of Sound 344 (m/s)
Percent Error 0.27906
Reflection:
As you can see by the table above, my group and I got a percent error of only 0.27906 which is really close. The expected speed of sound in the room was about 344 m/s and my group estimated it to be about 343.04 m/s, so we were extremely close! I think we were very accurate because of our precise measuring. Also we tested the point of Resonance four times because we were not sure if it was correct the first time. But then after, when we tried the different pitch of tuning fork, we were not accurate at all and our percent error was 15. So, the first time I think we were accurate because we checked our work multiple times.
- graduated cylinder
- hollow pipe
- tuning fork (any note)
- water
- ruler
Activity Description:
The purpose of this project was to calculate the speed of sound by using only a graduated cylinder, a tuning fork, and a pole. We did this by filling the graduated cylinder with water, then placing the hollow pole in the water. Then one person hit the tuning fork and placed it over one of the ends of the pipe. The other person lifted the pipe up and down in the water until the air in the pole was vibrating at its resident frequency. Then another person would measure the pole from the top of the water to the top of the pole, and measure the diameter of the pole. From there we calculated the speed of sound based on the length of the waves of air in the pole
Procedure:
First we placed the pipe in the graduated cylinder full of water. Then one person held the vibrating tuning fork over the pipe while the other person moved the pipe up and down until the resident frequency was found. The resident frequency is the frequency that the air naturally wants to vibrate at. We know when it was found because the sound echoed evenly, and it became louder. After the resident frequency was found we measured from the top of the water to the top of the pipe and measured the diameter of the hollow pipe. Next we had to calculate for the small distance between the tuning fork and the pole. To do that we multiplied the diameter of the pole by 4/10. When we added that to the original number and multiplied by 4, we got the full wavelength. Then we calculated the speed of sound by using the wavelength and frequency. After that we calculated our percent error based on the expected speed of sound in our room.
Findings:
Length of tube when resonance occurred 26 (cm)
Diameter of Tube2 (cm)
Diameter of tube X 0.40.8 (cm)
1/4 Wavelength (cm)
26.8 (cm)
Wavelength1.072 (m)
Frequency (Hz= 1/s)
320 (Hz)
Speed of Sound 343.04 (m/s)
Room Temperature 68 (F)
Expected speed of Sound 344 (m/s)
Percent Error 0.27906
Reflection:
As you can see by the table above, my group and I got a percent error of only 0.27906 which is really close. The expected speed of sound in the room was about 344 m/s and my group estimated it to be about 343.04 m/s, so we were extremely close! I think we were very accurate because of our precise measuring. Also we tested the point of Resonance four times because we were not sure if it was correct the first time. But then after, when we tried the different pitch of tuning fork, we were not accurate at all and our percent error was 15. So, the first time I think we were accurate because we checked our work multiple times.