Question about the Speed of Sound

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The speed of sound is influenced by the medium through which it travels, including factors such as air density and temperature. While it is commonly understood that sound is a vibration of air particles, the speed can vary with volume; extremely loud sounds can travel faster than the standard speed of sound. This speed is not constant and differs across various mediums, including gases, water, and solid materials. Seismologists utilize sound waves to analyze geological layers, demonstrating practical applications of sound speed variations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of sound wave propagation
  • Knowledge of how temperature and density affect sound speed
  • Familiarity with different mediums (air, water, solids)
  • Basic principles of seismology
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of temperature on the speed of sound in air
  • Explore sound wave behavior in different mediums, such as water and solids
  • Learn about the applications of sound waves in seismology
  • Investigate the relationship between sound intensity and speed variations
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, seismologists, audio engineers, and anyone interested in the properties of sound and its practical applications.

Vorde
Messages
786
Reaction score
0
Operating on what I have been taught (that sound is the vibration of the air and that particles compress, then expand, then bump into others which compress, hence waves), I don't see why louder sound doesn't travel faster than slower sound?

Can anyone help me with this?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
It actually does. However, pretty much all sound is quiet enough so that the speed of sound doesn't change very much for any reasonable volume. Extremely loud sound would travel faster than the "speed of sound" though.
 
Do you happen to know on what basis the speed of sound as defined is? Is it just the average speed or is it the precise speed of a particular sound.
 
cjl said:
It actually does. However, pretty much all sound is quiet enough so that the speed of sound doesn't change very much for any reasonable volume. Extremely loud sound would travel faster than the "speed of sound" though.

ohhh yeah ??

do you have any references for that please ?

everything I have ever read indicates that the only thing that affects the speed of sound is the medium that it traveling through.


Dave
 
Last edited:
Vorde said:
Do you happen to know on what basis the speed of sound as defined is? Is it just the average speed or is it the precise speed of a particular sound.

its speed is not constant, for the reason I stated in my last post.
its different in different pure gasses, in water, in the atmosphere and even then depends on the air density and temperature. More dense at the Earth's surface than at say 5km altitude.
it has a different speed through the earth.
Seismologists use sound waves to determine depth, thickness and type of rock layers below the surface of the ground.

a good place to learn some basics is from wikipedia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_sound

cheers
Dave
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Why is there a set speed of sound in a certain medium?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
High School What sound frequencies can pass through a hole in a wall?
  • · Replies 31 ·
2
Replies
31
Views
4K
Undergrad How fast does a blastwave travel?
  • · Replies 236 ·
8
Replies
236
Views
15K
Undergrad How Does Sound Behavior Change in Low Atmosphere?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
8K
Undergrad Speed of Sound Experiment: Hear the Results
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
2K
High School Can the speed of sound in air be faster?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
Graduate Relaxation times of molecules during sound propagation
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
High School Speed of sound in steel vs air
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
High School A Question about the Speed of Waves....
  • · Replies 13 ·
Replies
13
Views
2K
Undergrad Relationship between frequency and power for sound?
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
6K