Chapter 6: Energy Transfers and Sound

Worksheet 1.6.13 Measuring the speed of sound

page 1/2

1 Investigating the speed of sound >

Peter and David wanted to find the speed of sound. They placed a large steel plate at a distance of
600 m from Peter. Peter made a loud clap. They recorded the time to hear the echo. It was 4 seconds.
a) What is an echo?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b) Why did the echo form?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

c) What two things could they do to make their results accurate and reliable?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d) Calculate the speed of sound using their results.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2 Echo sounding >>

The picture shows a boat sending sound waves to the seabed. The time taken for each pulse of sound
to return to the boat is recorded. The measurement is used to find out how far it is to the seabed.
The method is called echo sounding.

a) If the boat is in deep water, explain if the time taken for the sound to return will be longer or
shorter.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Key Stage 3 Science Teacher Pack 1 © HarperCollinsPublishers Limited 2014

 Chapter 6: Energy Transfers and Sound

Worksheet 1.6.13 Measuring the speed of sound

page 2/2
b) Boats use echo sounding to find out distances in water such as the distance to the sea’s bottom,
icebergs and shoals (groups) of fish. Why can’t the people on the boat find out the distances by
looking?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
If the depth measurements suddenly change, the equipment may be detecting fish.
c) Why would the depth measurement suddenly change if the equipment were detecting a shoal of
fish?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d) How would the measured time keep changing if the equipment were detecting lots of small groups
of fish?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
e) Find out how some animals use echo sounding.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3 Rearranging the equation >>>

The speed of sound equation can be rearranged to allow you to work out either the distance travelled
by sound, or the time taken for the sound to travel a distance.
a) To work out the distance what would the equation look like?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
b) How far is a shoal of fish if the time taken for a pulse of sound to reach it, reflect from it and return
to the ship is 0.1 seconds? (The speed of sound in water is 1500 m/s.)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
c) To work out the time what would the equation look like?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
d) How long would a sound signal sent from a ship take to return from an object at the bottom of the
Mariana Trench (21 000 m)? The speed of sound in water is 1500 m/s.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Key Stage 3 Science Teacher Pack 1 © HarperCollinsPublishers Limited 2014