Speed Of Sound Lab
Measuring the Speed of Sound and Air using a Pulse-Echo Technique
Purpose To determine the speed of sound in air using the pulse-echo experiment procedure, and comparing it to the predicted speed of sound in air using the measured air temperature of the classroom.
Hypothesis I believe that the speed of sound it the air will be close to that of the predicted value. According to our predicted value, we should expect the speed of sound in the air to be at a speed of approximately 346 m/s.
Materials
1. Thermometer
2. Closed Cardboard Tube
3. Microphone
4. Data Studio Software
5. Metre Stick
6. Fingers to “snap”
Procedure
1. We had gathered all the required materials, opened up the Data Software program on the computer, and connected the microphone to the computer
2. We had set up the experiment by placing the microphone near the edge of the closed cardboard tube (on the open side)
3. We had one person ready to start the program by clicking the START button and one person ready to snap their fingers next to the microphone.
4. We had the person pressing the START button count down from 3. On the count of 3, the person pressed the START button, and right after, the finger snapper person snapped their finger.
5. Once a successful snap and echo was recorded (based on the graph that appears on the computer screen), we measured the start time of the original snap and the echo snap both.
6. We recorded both start times on a table and recorded the difference between them.
7. Repeated step 3-6 for a total of two more trials.
Diagram
Figure 1: Simple Lab Setup
(Found on the D2L page) Figure 2: Example of Computer Program (https://mauriceabarry.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/speed-of- sound-021.jpg)
Data and Observations
Length of Cardboard Tube: 125 cm
Measured Air Temperature: 23 Degrees Celsius
Table 1: Start Time and Echo Time
Purpose To determine the speed of sound in air using the pulse-echo experiment procedure, and comparing it to the predicted speed of sound in air using the measured air temperature of the classroom.
Hypothesis I believe that the speed of sound it the air will be close to that of the predicted value. According to our predicted value, we should expect the speed of sound in the air to be at a speed of approximately 346 m/s.
Materials
1. Thermometer
2. Closed Cardboard Tube
3. Microphone
4. Data Studio Software
5. Metre Stick
6. Fingers to “snap”
Procedure
1. We had gathered all the required materials, opened up the Data Software program on the computer, and connected the microphone to the computer
2. We had set up the experiment by placing the microphone near the edge of the closed cardboard tube (on the open side)
3. We had one person ready to start the program by clicking the START button and one person ready to snap their fingers next to the microphone.
4. We had the person pressing the START button count down from 3. On the count of 3, the person pressed the START button, and right after, the finger snapper person snapped their finger.
5. Once a successful snap and echo was recorded (based on the graph that appears on the computer screen), we measured the start time of the original snap and the echo snap both.
6. We recorded both start times on a table and recorded the difference between them.
7. Repeated step 3-6 for a total of two more trials.
Diagram
Figure 1: Simple Lab Setup
(Found on the D2L page) Figure 2: Example of Computer Program (https://mauriceabarry.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/speed-of- sound-021.jpg)
Data and Observations
Length of Cardboard Tube: 125 cm
Measured Air Temperature: 23 Degrees Celsius
Table 1: Start Time and Echo Time