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0CommentLinkEmbedof 6Readcast0 inShare Xavier Bourret-Sicotte Physics18/09/2007
Measuring the speed of sound
In this experiment, we will measure the speed of sound.The apparatus consisted of a plastic tube filled with water linked to a water container. Thiscontainer could be displaced vertically in order to change the water level. We would thenmake a tuning fork vibrate above the pipe and change the water level until the resonance wasat maximum intensity.Hypothesis: The velocity of sound is 330 ms
-1
, the relationship between velocity, frequencyand wavelength is represented by the formula v= ƒλ
,
1) Raw data presented Table 1 Table 1 shows the frequency of the different tuning forks and the length of air needed for maximum resonance. The error on the length was estimated to 0.1 cm as we repeated eachexperiment several times. Note the error on the forks’ frequencies is a mere estimation as theyare accurately calibrated during manufacture.
Frequency /HzLength /m
512.00.157480.00.169456.10.178426.60.192406.40.202384.00.215362.00.226341.30.243320.00.260304.40.270288.00.288271.20.308256.00.323Error +/- 0.1error +/- 0.001
2) Data analysis and interpretation
During the experiment, we have created a fundamental standing wave between the surface of the water and the opening of the pipe. The distance measured represents ¼ of the completestanding wave therefore λ = measured length * 4-From the general formula v= ƒλ , we find that velocity of sound in ms
-1
for the first tuningfork experimented is v = 512
∗
0.157
∗
4 = 321.536-Calculating the error for velocity:
∂
v = (
∂λ
/ λ +
∂ƒ
/ ƒ )
∗
vFor the first tuning fork:
∂
v = (0.001 / 0.157+0.1/512)
∗
321.536
∂
v = 2.1108 ms
-1
∂ v ≈
2 ms
-1
∴ v ≈
322 +/- 2 ms
-1
-To find the mean velocity we add all values of v and divide the sum by the number of values.A similar process was completed for the mean
∂
v.Results of all processed data
Download
0CommentLinkEmbedof 6Readcast0 inShare Xavier Bourret-Sicotte Physics18/09/2007
Measuring the speed of sound
In this experiment, we will measure the speed of sound.The apparatus consisted of a plastic tube filled with water linked to a water container. Thiscontainer could be displaced vertically in order to change the water level. We would thenmake a tuning fork vibrate above the pipe and change the water level until the resonance wasat maximum intensity.Hypothesis: The velocity of sound is 330 ms
-1
, the relationship between velocity, frequencyand wavelength is represented by the formula v= ƒλ
,
1) Raw data presented Table 1 Table 1 shows the frequency of the different tuning forks and the length of air needed for maximum resonance. The error on the length was estimated to 0.1 cm as we repeated eachexperiment several times. Note the error on the forks’ frequencies is a mere estimation as theyare accurately calibrated during manufacture.
Frequency /HzLength /m
512.00.157480.00.169456.10.178426.60.192406.40.202384.00.215362.00.226341.30.243320.00.260304.40.270288.00.288271.20.308256.00.323Error +/- 0.1error +/- 0.001
2) Data analysis and interpretation
During the experiment, we have created a fundamental standing wave between the surface of the water and the opening of the pipe. The distance measured represents ¼ of the completestanding wave therefore λ = measured length * 4-From the general formula v= ƒλ , we find that velocity of sound in ms
-1
for the first tuningfork experimented is v = 512
∗
0.157
∗
4 = 321.536-Calculating the error for velocity:
∂
v = (
∂λ
/ λ +
∂ƒ
/ ƒ )
∗
vFor the first tuning fork:
∂
v = (0.001 / 0.157+0.1/512)
∗
321.536
∂
v = 2.1108 ms
-1
∂ v ≈
2 ms
-1
∴ v ≈
322 +/- 2 ms
-1
-To find the mean velocity we add all values of v and divide the sum by the number of values.A similar process was completed for the mean
∂
v.Results of all processed data