Lab#

Title: Velocity of Sound

Aim: To find the velocity of sound using the resonance method at room temperature

Material/ Apparatus:
1. Water
2. Resonance cup
3. Glass tube
4. Tuning forks
5. Rubber hammer

Method:
1. Set up glass tube and resonance cup
2. Fill the resonance cup with water
3. Place the resonance cup at a particular distance
4. Hit the one tuning fork with the rubber hammer and immediately place it about 2cm over the
mouth of the glass tube
5. Record the distance at which the booming sound is heard
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 using the next tuning fork and the resonance cup at a different distance
7. Compare results

Diagram:
Results:
S.No Frequency First resonating length (l1) Second resonating length (l2) n= V Hz
. “n” Hz Trial- Trial-2 Trial-3 Trial -1 Trial-2 Trial-3 2(l2-l1)
1 cm cm cm cm cm cm
1. N2 19.8 19.8 19.8 59.4 59.4 59.4 427Hz

Frequency of Unknown tuning fork

Length of the resonating air columns

S.No Frequency First resonating length (l1) Second resonating length (l2) n1 = l2-l1
. “n” Hz Trial- Trial-2 Mean Trial -1 Trial-2 Mean n2 l2-l1
1 cm cm cm cm cm cm
1. n2 17.6 17.6 17.6 53.1 52.8 52.9 50.05-16.65
52.9-17.65
2. n2 16.6 16.65 16.65 50 50.1 50.05 = 0.94
 Length of the resonating air columns
S.No Frequency At first resonance At second resonance
. “n” Hz Trial- Trial-2 Mean Trial -1 Trial-2 Mean V=2n(l2-l1)
1 cm cm cm cm cm cm Cm/s

1. 512 16.6 16.7 16.65 50 50.1 50.05 34662.4

2. 480 17.7 17.6 17.65 53.1 52.8 52.9 33840

3. 426 19.7 19.9 19.8 59.1 59.7 59.4 33994.8

V= velocity of sound in air = 340m/s

Calculation:

Room temperature, t0c = 290c

Average Value of Vt = 34165.74cm/s
Velocity of sound at 00c

V= Vt(1-(t/546))
V= 34165.74(1-(29/546))
= 32351.07cm/s

Discussion:
The velocity with which sound travels in any medium may be determined if the frequency and
wavelength are known. In this experiment, the velocity of sound in air was found by using tuning forks of
known frequency. The wavelength of the sound was determined by making use of the resonance of an
air column. The length of water changed by raising or lowering the water level while the tuning fork is
held over the open end of the tube. Resonance was indicated when there was a sudden increase in the
intensity of sound when the column was adjusted to the right length. The water surface constitutes a
node of the standing wave since the air is not free to move longitudinally. The open end provides
conditions for an antinode, but the actual antinode has been found to occur outside of the tube at a
distance of 0.6r from the end, where r is the radius. The tuning fork is set into vibration by striking
against a rubber hammer, and held horizontally over the open end. The length of air column in the tube
is increased by changing the position of reservoir in doing so, a condition is reached at which the sound
is heard at maximum, this condition is known as first resonance. If we go on increasing the length of the
air column in the tube, the intensity of the sound heard goes on decreasing first, become minimum and
then again goes on increasing at a certain length.

Precautions:
 The resonance tube should be set vertically
 The excited tuning fork should be held with its prong horizontal and they should vibrate
vertically along the axis of the glass
 The tuning fork of larger frequency should be used at the beginning
 The resonance positions should be obtained for water level raising as well as falling in tube
  The tuning fork should vibrate gently with a rubber hammer
 The prong of the tuning fork should not be touched with hand.

Conclusion:
The velocity of sound using the resonance method at room temperature was found to be 32351.07cm/s.