What is the Power of Sound Waves in a Tube Filled with Helium Gas?

In summary: Your value for the density of He at the pressure and temperature given in the problem does not look correct if you are using units of kg/L. However, it looks correct for SI units.
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Homework Statement


Suppose a tube is filled with helium gas at a pressure of 0.11MPa and a temperature of 297K. If a piston of area of 400mm2 at one end of the tube creates sound by moving sinusoidally with a frequency of 60Hz, creating a wave with amplitude of 3.8mm,
what power goes into (I'm assuming he means either max power or average power, but honestly I'm not sure what he meant by "power goes into") the sound waves formed?
T = 297k
P(initial) = 0.11MPa = 1.1×105Pa
ƒ = 60Hz
A = 3.8mm = 0.0038m

Homework Equations


PV = nRT, ρ = PM / RT, β = v2ρ, POWER(max) = √(μF) ⋅ω2A, ω = 2(pi)⋅ƒ, v2 = F / μ, PRESSURE = F / (AREA), μ = ρV / L= ρr2(pi) --->
*because V = Lr2(pi), ω = kv, kλ = 2(pi)


The Attempt at a Solution


I got ρ = 0.1782 (approx) . I've been struggling a lot with this problem even though I don't have much work here to show for it. Most of the couple hours (literally hours) I've spent staring at this problem has been spent scouring the book for various equations that look like they may possibly help. I just can't figure out how to get the velocity (v) or the k without being given one of the two. Also I apologize for having to type in pi. I couldn't find the symbol in the available options and I don't see it on my keyboard. I also did some simple conversions from mm to meters, and so on.
 
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TSny said:
For a formula for the speed of sound in an ideal gas, see http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Sound/souspe3.html

Your numerical value for ρ should include units.

There is a symbol for pi (π) near the middle of the first line of the available symbol options.
I see the π now. Thank you. I was looking for a squiggly line on the top; that's why I missed it. Thanks for the response altogether really. I saw that equation before. I just didn't remember/bother to write it down because the one definition of the adiabatic constant (idk which of your symbols you use for that, because none of them look that similar to the page you linked me. maybe Ψ or ϒ?) that I could find was γ = β / P(initial / equilibrium), and the definition for β I'm using is β = v2ρ. It's a circle. I read your link fully btw. Please, more help
 
  • #4
I took another gander at the equation for the velocity of sound through gas that you linked again. I noticed an alternate definition for the bulk mod β. Can you please confirm whether the following is true?
β = P(equilibrium) / ρ
γ = β / P
(equilibrium)
I used these two definitions in a problem earlier, but I can't shake the feeling at least one of them must be wrong, because wouldn't the P(equilibrium) cancel in the definition for the adiabatic constant γ and it would equal nothing more than 1 / ρ ? ρ being density of course.
 
  • #5
Oh ya, I put density ρ in kg / L ... At least I think :sorry:
 
  • #6
The constant ##\gamma## has a specific value for all monatomic gases, such as He. If you scroll down to about the middle of the link in post #2, you will see the value.

Your value for the density of He at the pressure and temperature given in the problem does not look correct if you are using units of kg/L. However, it looks correct for SI units. What would be the units for density in SI units?
 

What is power in a sound wave?

Power in a sound wave refers to the rate at which energy is transferred through the medium as a sound wave travels through it. It is measured in watts and is a measure of the intensity or loudness of a sound.

How is power related to amplitude in a sound wave?

Power in a sound wave is directly proportional to the square of the amplitude of the wave. This means that as the amplitude increases, the power also increases. This relationship is described by the formula P ∝ A2, where P is power and A is amplitude.

What factors affect the power of a sound wave?

The power of a sound wave is affected by several factors including the amplitude, frequency, and distance traveled by the wave. Additionally, the medium through which the sound wave travels can also have an impact on its power.

How is power measured in a sound wave?

Power in a sound wave is typically measured using a decibel (dB) scale. This scale measures the relative power of a sound wave compared to a reference level. The formula for converting between sound pressure level (SPL) in decibels and power in watts is P (dB) = 10 log10(P/P0), where P is the power in watts and P0 is the reference power level.

Why is understanding power in sound waves important?

Understanding power in sound waves is important for many reasons. It allows us to measure and compare the intensity of different sounds, which can be useful in fields such as acoustics and audio engineering. It also helps us understand how sound can affect and interact with the environment, as well as how it can impact our hearing and overall well-being.

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