Free Fall(gravity) with speed of sound in air

In summary, it takes approximately 3 seconds for the pebble to hit the water at the bottom of the well. The speed of the pebble is initially 0m/s and it accelerates at a rate of -9.8m/s^2. The depth of the well cannot be determined with the given information.
  • #1
Patrick817
1
0
A pebble is dropped into a deep well, and 3.0s later the sound of a splash is heard as the pebble reaches the bottom of the well. The speed of sound in air is 340m/s.

(A) How long does it take for the pebble to hit the water?
(B) How long does it take for the sound to reach the observer?
(C) What is the depth of the well?

t=?
Initial Velocity=0
g=-9.8

I've used all of the formulas I have and still haven't been able to figure out how to get this. Someone please help. (At least with A)

Formulas Given: d=.5(final velocity + initial velocity)t
d= initialvelocity(t) + .5at^2
final velocity^2= initialvelocity^2+ 2ad
 
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  • #2
Patrick817 said:
A pebble is dropped into a deep well, and 3.0s later the sound of a splash is heard as the pebble reaches the bottom of the well. The speed of sound in air is 340m/s.

(A) How long does it take for the pebble to hit the water?
(B) How long does it take for the sound to reach the observer?
(C) What is the depth of the well?

t=?
Initial Velocity=0
g=-9.8

I've used all of the formulas I have and still haven't been able to figure out how to get this. Someone please help. (At least with A)

Formulas Given: d=.5(final velocity + initial velocity)t
d= initialvelocity(t) + .5at^2
final velocity^2= initialvelocity^2+ 2ad

The event can be divided into two parts:
First part, the stone accelerates to the bottom of the well where it makes a noise.
Second part, the sound travels back up the well at constant speed to the observer.
The total time is 3 seconds.

A stone that falls for 3 seconds reaches almost 30m/s, and so averages about 15m/s.
So the average speed for the first part is ~15m/s
The average speed for the second part is 340 m/s

So when you work it out, most of the 3 seconds will be the stone falling, and a little bit at the end will be the sound coming up.

Hope that helps.
 

1. How does gravity affect the speed of sound in air?

Gravity has no direct effect on the speed of sound in air. The speed of sound is determined by the properties of the medium, such as temperature and density.

2. What is the speed of sound in air during free fall?

The speed of sound in air during free fall is the same as the speed of sound in stationary air at the same altitude. This is because the acceleration due to gravity does not affect the speed of sound.

3. Does the speed of sound change during free fall?

No, the speed of sound in air remains constant during free fall. This is because the acceleration due to gravity does not affect the properties of the medium through which sound travels.

4. How does air resistance affect free fall with the speed of sound?

Air resistance does not affect the speed of sound during free fall. However, it can affect the speed of an object in free fall due to the opposing force it creates.

5. Is the speed of sound in air different at different altitudes during free fall?

The speed of sound in air is affected by the altitude, but this change is minimal during free fall. The speed of sound decreases slightly with increasing altitude due to the decrease in air density, but this effect is negligible for most practical purposes.

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