Speed of Sound (warm air or cold air)

[anna sung]

Homework Statement

I am so confused with speed of sound. would sound travel faster in cold or warm air?
if you put mathmatical equation in, v= 331 + (0.59Tc) then it would travel faster in warm air.
but another theory says that sound travels faster in denser medium and cold air is denser than warm air, hence it travels faster in colder air. it it true?

And at night over water we can hear sound clearly on shore than during the day because of colder air during night and over water, as cold air is dense, molecules can bump into each other better as they are closer, makes it travel faster? or the speed of it has nothing to do with it? would the answer be just (it travels better because it is denser)?

please help me out thanks

 

[Astronuc]

More likely at night over water, there is less background noise, so one can hear more clearly, but the speed of sound is not increased.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/souspe.html
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/souspe3.html

The speed of sound (in a gas) is inversely proportional to M^1/2, where M is the molecular (or atomic mass for monatomic (noble) gases), and that of course is related to density. On the other hand, the speed of sound increases with temperature even as density decreases slightly.

 

[anna sung]

More likely at night over water, there is less background noise, so one can hear more clearly, but the speed of sound is not increased.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/souspe.html
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/sound/souspe3.html

The speed of sound (in a gas) is inversely proportional to M^1/2, where M is the molecular (or atomic mass for monatomic (noble) gases), and that of course is related to density. On the other hand, the speed of sound increases with temperature even as density decreases slightly.

yes but if you were to explain using physics how would you explain that at night over water u can hear sound clearly than during the day?

 

[moondawg]

As temperature increases, air particles move more, and allow for better propagation of sound waves

 

[rwisz]

The speed of sound is a complex topic that is affected by various factors, including temperature, density, and medium. Based on the mathematical equation you provided, sound would travel faster in warm air. However, as you mentioned, density also plays a role in the speed of sound. In general, sound travels faster in denser mediums, which is why it may seem like it travels faster in colder air.

However, it is important to note that the speed of sound is also affected by other factors such as humidity and pressure. So while cold air may be denser, if it is also more humid or at a higher pressure, it may not necessarily result in faster sound travel.

Regarding your question about sound traveling better at night over water, it is true that colder air is denser and can potentially result in faster sound travel. However, other factors such as wind and atmospheric conditions can also affect sound transmission over water. So while density plays a role, it is not the only factor at play.

In summary, the speed of sound is a complex topic that is affected by various factors, and it is not as simple as saying it travels faster in warm or cold air. It is important to consider all the different factors at play when trying to understand the speed of sound in a specific situation.