Sound wave Physics Problem Help

In summary, the person has a question on setting up a problem involving a heavy stone striking concrete pavement and two sounds being heard 1.4 seconds apart. They have calculated the velocities in air and concrete using the elastic modulus equation, and are asking for help on setting up the equations for the problem. They have tried one method but are open to suggestions. After realizing a mistake, they have resolved the problem.
  • #1
Boulderbison19
7
0
so i have some questions on how to set up this one problem on my homework.

Here is the problem:

A person sees a heavy stone strike the concrete pavement. A moment later, two wounds are heard from the impace: one travels through the concrete and the other through air, and the sounds are heard 1.4 seconds apart. how far away did the impact occur?

i got the velocity in air to be 343 m/s and the velocity through concrete to be 2949 m/s by the elastic modulus equation. how would i go setting up equations for this problem? i tried T(in concrete)=T(in air)-1.4 and used D=D to set up

V(in air)T(in air)=V(in concrete)[T(in air)-1.4]

would this setup work, or would another set up work any better?

thanks
 
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  • #2
that's what I would do.
 
  • #3
ok i got it. i just made a stupid mistake in solving the problem. thanks
 

What is a sound wave?

A sound wave is a type of mechanical wave that is created by a vibrating object and propagated through a medium, such as air or water. It consists of a series of compressions and rarefactions, which are areas of high and low pressure, respectively.

How do we measure sound waves?

Sound waves are measured using a unit called decibels (dB). Decibels measure the intensity or loudness of a sound, and are based on a logarithmic scale. This means that every 10 dB increase represents a tenfold increase in sound intensity.

What factors affect the speed of sound?

The speed of sound is affected by the properties of the medium it travels through, such as temperature, humidity, and density. It also depends on the frequency of the sound wave, with higher frequencies traveling faster than lower frequencies.

How does sound travel through different mediums?

Sound travels through different mediums by causing the particles of the medium to vibrate. In solids, the particles are tightly packed, allowing sound to travel quickly. In liquids, the particles are less tightly packed, resulting in a slower speed of sound. In gases, the particles are further apart, making the speed of sound even slower.

What is the relationship between frequency and wavelength in a sound wave?

The frequency and wavelength of a sound wave are inversely proportional. This means that as the frequency increases, the wavelength decreases, and vice versa. This relationship is described by the equation v = fλ, where v is the speed of sound, f is the frequency, and λ is the wavelength.

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