The Speed of Sound

By
Uneh Sunarni S.Pd
JHS 30
Objective
To explain factors that influence sound
velocity
To count the speed of sound in daily life
Dogs, bats, and dolphins can hear sound of higher
frequency than that of heard by the human ear.

 Dogs can hear sound of frequency ranging from

15 Hz to 50.000 Hz. There is a special whistle for
dogs that produces sound of high frequency. It
can be heard only by a dog.

Bats and dolphins can hear sound with a

frequency of up to 120.000 Hz.
 Table the Speed of Sound
No The name of medium Speed (m/s)
1 Air at 0 oC 332
2 Air at 15 oC 340
3 Air at 25 oC 347
4 Alcohol 1213
5 Hydrogen at 0 oC 1261
6 Water at 15 oC 1440
7 Gold 2030
8 Coal 3650
9 Wood 4700
10 Aluminium 5000
11 Steel 5100
12 Iron 5120
13 Glass 6000
Based on the table
Mention the factor that influence the
sound!

Write down the equation of the speed of

sound
The temperature of a medium is also an important
factor in determining the speed of sound. When the
temperature of a body increases, its molecules move
faster so the frequency of collision between
particles increases.

The increase of molecule collisions will produce

more energy in a shorter time. This enables the
sound wave to move faster. Sound spreads out
through air at a speed of 344 m/s at 20° C, but at 0°
C its speed is only 332 m/s.
In the rainy season, we often see a flash of lightning
followed by a sound of thunder within a few seconds.

This happens because the position of the lightning is far

from you. Actually, the flash of lightning and the sound
of thunder occur at the same time.
But, you hear the sound of the thunder after you have
seen the flash. This is fact indicates that the speed of light
is faster than the speed of sound.
Light travels at the speed of 300,000,000 m/s in a vacuum
while the speed of sound is 330 m/s.
So, the sound of thunder needs more time to reach you
than the flash of lightning. If the distance of the lightning
is about 1 km from you, you will hear the sound of
thunder about 3 second after seeing the flash
The speed of sound in the air depends on its temperature.
The higher the temperature of the air, the faster the speed of
sound, and vice versa
Example
Problem :
You are at a distance of 1.700 metres from an erupting
volcano. If sound moves in the air at the speed of 340m/s,
how much time do you need to hear the sound of the
eruption?
Known: d = 1.700 m
v = 340 m/s
Asked : time (t)
Formula : v = d/t
Solution : v= 1.700 m : 340 m/s = 5s
So, you will hear the sound at 5s after the eruption.
Problems
1. A dolphin is placed in a laboratory 600 km
under the sea. It produces sounds. If the sound
moves in the water at the speed of 1500 m/s,
how much time does someone need to hear the
dolphin’s sound?

1.Hasan observed an explosion of fire crackers

from distance and after 0,8 seconds he heard the
sounds. He was 273,6 m away from the spot.
What is the speed of sound in the air at that
time?