List three reasons why knowing the speed of sound is important to your life?

[Shamamsi]

Please help me solving this homework!

1. List three reasons why knowing the speed of sound is important to your life?

2. From at least three sources, gather information on how you can measure the speed of sound. then, describe the methods that are available to you. Information can be gathered from any source, but be sure to record the sources (name of the book, journal, magazine, internet site; the author, name of the article or program; and page number if the source was a written one.

Regarding the first question, here is my suggested answer. I think it is far from good.

"Knowledge of the speed of sound is very important in order to ensure accuracy and consistency in bathymetry calculations especially such as distance from one object to another underwater, ocean depth, wave speed and a variety of other ocean properties.
2. the speed of sound is important in that it "warns" more distant parts of the plate and projectile that an impact has occurred and the longer it takes to do this as size increases, the more isolated the local region being hit is for a longer time, weakening it somewhat due to the delay in support from those more distant regions. Only if the speed of sound were infinite would this not play some role in plate resistance.
3. Knowing the speed of sound is intimately related to superfluidity according to Lan-dau’s theory of superfluid."


Thanks for your help!

 

[LowlyPion]

Are those 3 examples really important to you? Seriously?

Your bathymetry calculations? Superfluidity?

As opposed to say you see a lightning flash and count until you hear the thunder to know how far away the lightning may be? Now that is something that is important to me when I'm out for a walk.

I note the second part of your question is quite different insofar as it asks for methods to quantify the speed.

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to the PF, Shamamsi. According to the PF Rules (see the link at the top of the page), we cannot give you answers to your homework questions.

(Although I do like LowlyPion's lightning thoughts...)

We can only offer tutorial help and hints. Like, what does the speed of sound have to do with musical instruments. Or, what does the speed of sound have to do with airline departure and arrival times?