Speed of Sound in Different Mediums

In summary, ultrasonic waves travel at the speed of sound through the air, regardless of the speed of the car and the sound travels at the speed of sound through the air, regardless of the speed of the passenger and the ground observer.
  • #1
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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  • #2
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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Likes Stephanus
  • #3
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:

FAQ: Speed of Sound in Different Mediums

1. What is the speed of sound in air?

The speed of sound in air is approximately 343 meters per second at sea level and room temperature (20°C or 68°F).

2. How does the speed of sound differ in different mediums?

The speed of sound varies depending on the medium it travels through. It is fastest in solids, followed by liquids, and slowest in gases.

3. How does temperature affect the speed of sound?

The speed of sound increases as temperature increases. This is because sound is a form of energy, and at higher temperatures, the molecules in a medium vibrate faster, allowing sound waves to travel more quickly.

4. What is the speed of sound in water?

The speed of sound in water is approximately 1,484 meters per second, which is about four times faster than in air.

5. How does the density of a medium affect the speed of sound?

The denser a medium, the faster sound can travel through it. This is because the molecules in a denser medium are closer together and can transmit sound waves more efficiently.

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