Set up for Speed of Sound in Water
Set up for Speed of Sound in Water
SoftScopeTM module

 

Code Number: 3B30.52

Demo Title: Speed of Sound in Water / Ultrasonic

Condition: Excellent

Principle: Wavelength of sound in water

Area of Study: Oscillations & Acoustics

Equipment: 

(Laptop computer, SoftScopeTM module) These have been replaced by one of the digital oscilloscopes, speed of sound apparatus using calipers and ultrasonic transducer, petri dish, aluminum, plastic pieces.

Procedure:

Connect the digital oscilloscope the the caliper module.  Lower the Calipers into a petri dish with 1/4 in. of water.  Set the scope to the settings that are marked.  If everything is running right, moving the calipers should show a real-time distance separation on the screen.  This is the speed of sound in water. 

Other rods of Plexiglas, aluminum, brass, or other metals may be placed between the jaws of the calipers.  Essentially the measurement will be the speed of sound through any particular substance.  

NOTE:  This should still be done with the calipers immersed in the water.  You will need the coupling that the water provides between the ultrasonic transducer and the object being measured for accurate measurements.

References:

  • Gustavo A. Mendes, Jusciane da Costa e Silva, Gustavo de O. G. Reboucas, "Instantaneous Measurement of the Speed of Sound in Air and Water Using Arduino", TPT, Vol. 61, #5, May 2023, p. 394.
  • Sue Stocklmayer, John Rayner, Mike Gore, "Errata", TPT, Vol. 51, # 2, Feb. 2013, p. 72.
  • Gorazd Planinsic, Eugenia Etkina, "Bubbles That Change the Speed of Sound", TPT, Vol. 50, Nov. 2012, p. 458.
  • Tony Key, Robert Smidrovskis, Milton From, "Measuring the Speed of Sound in a Solid", TPT, Vol. 38, # 2, Feb. 2000, p. 76.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr., "Experiments with Ultrasonic Transducers",  TPT, Vol. 32, # 7, Oct. 1994, p. 392.
  • A. A. Nash, "How Many Sics?", TPT, Vol. 15, # 8, Nov. 1977, p. 453.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr., "19th Century Textbook Illustrations XI, The Speed of Sound in Water", TPT, Vol. 14, # 8, Nov. 1976, p. 510.
  • Gorazd Planinsic, Eugenia Etkina, "Bubbles That Change the Speed of Sound", TPT, Vol. 50, Nov. 2012, p.458.
  • Diego A. Luna, Mariano A. Real, and Debora V. Duran, "Undergraduate Experiment to Measure the Speed of Sound in Liquid by Diffraction of Light", AJP, Vol. 70, # 8, Aug. 2002, p.874.
  • Gorazd Planinsic and Eugenia Etkina, Bubbles that Change the Speed of Sound, TPT, Vol. 50, # 8, Nov. 2012, p. 458.
  • A. E. Lord Jr., "Simple Means of Generating Longitudinal Elastic Pulses in Liquids", AJP, Vol. 41, #3, March 1973, p. 433.
  • S. B. Palmer, "Measurement of Velocity of Sound in Liquids", AJP, Vol. 39, #3, March 1971, p. 340.
  • Richard J. Fitzgerald, "The Many Paths to Underwater Acoustic Communication", Physics Today, June 2015, p. 20.
  • William A. Kuperman, James F. Lynch, "Shallow - Water Acoustics",  Physics Today, Oct. 2004, p. 55.