Speed of Sound in Different Mediums

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The discussion centers on the speed of sound in different mediums and how it is affected by the motion of objects. When a car traveling at 50 m/s fires a missile at 100 m/s, the missile's speed relative to the ground is 150 m/s. In an airplane flying at 250 m/s, sound from a passenger calling a flight attendant travels at 340 m/s relative to the passenger, but an observer on the ground would perceive it traveling at 590 m/s due to the airplane's speed. Ultrasonic waves produced by a moving car travel at the speed of sound in air, which is 340 m/s, regardless of the car's speed. The conversation highlights the distinction between sound speed in different media and the effects of relative motion.
Stephanus
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Dear PF Forum,
Sorry I ask this. I should have googled it or doing the experiment myself. :smile:
If a cars runs 50 m/s and at that time fires a missile, the speed of the missile is 100 m/s so the total speed of the missile is 150m/s, is this right?
And if we sit at the back seat of an airplane, flying 250m/s, around 560mph and call the flight attendant, our sound is traveling 340m/s from our seat, is this right?
But an observer below, if somehow can 'see' our sound wave, he/she'll see that our sound wave is traveling 590m/s, is this right?

What about this.
A cars runs 50m/s and suddenly produces an ultrasonic wave. What would we see or hear in the sidewalk?
Does the ultrasonic wave travels at 390m/s or 340m/s? Considering the sound wave travels in the same medium as the car, while passenger calling to flight attedant the sound travels in the airplane medium, while an observer observing the sound stays on the ground, different medium.
 
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Stephanus said:
If a cars runs 50 m/s and at that time fires a missile, the speed of the missile is 100 m/s so the total speed of the missile is 150m/s, is this right?
And if we sit at the back seat of an airplane, flying 250m/s, around 560mph and call the flight attendant, our sound is traveling 340m/s from our seat, is this right?
But an observer below, if somehow can 'see' our sound wave, he/she'll see that our sound wave is traveling 590m/s, is this right?

That's right, because the air in the cabin is moving relative to the ground.

Stephanus said:
What about this.
A cars runs 50m/s and suddenly produces an ultrasonic wave. What would we see or hear in the sidewalk?
Does the ultrasonic wave travels at 390m/s or 340m/s? Considering the sound wave travels in the same medium as the car, while passenger calling to flight attedant the sound travels in the airplane medium, while an observer observing the sound stays on the ground, different medium.

It travels at the speed of sound through the air, regardless of the speed of the car.
 
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Drakkith said:
It travels at the speed of sound through the air, regardless of the speed of the car.
Ahh, just like light!
Except unlike the passenger and the ground observer, the speed of sound differs.
Thanks
 
Last edited:

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