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| At 0°C is ρ0 = 1.293 kg/m3, Z0 = 428 N·s/m3, and c0 = 331 m/s At 15°C is ρ20 = 1.225 kg/m3, Z20 = 417 N·s/m3, and c20 = 340 m/s At 20°C is ρ20 = 1.204 kg/m3, Z20 = 413 N·s/m3, and c20 = 343 m/s At 25°C is ρ20 = 1.184 kg/m3, Z25 = 410 N·s/m3, and c25 = 346 m/s |
| The speed of sound in air is determined by the air itself and is not dependent
upon the amplitude, frequency, or wavelength of the sound. For an ideal gas the speed of sound depends only on the temperature and is independent of gas pressure. This dependence also applies to air, in good approximation and can be regarded as an ideal gas. This is a site for sound engineers and musicians. We are interested in the speed of sound of air (!) on Earth at places where acoustic musical instruments or voices are used, usually in rooms or halls. The speed of sound of atmospheric layers, as in 100 km altitude, or close to the vacuum is not of interest. Also we do not care about higher air pressure in car tires. Which speed does sound have? |
| Notice for musicians and technicians (not for physics professors):
The speed of sound changes clearly with temperature, a little bit with
humidity − but not with air pressure (atmospheric pressure). The words "sound pressure at sea level" are incorrect and misleading in the case of "speed of sound". The temperature indication, however, is absolutely necessary. The changing of atmospheric pressure does not change the sound of musical instruments in a concert hall or in a room. |
| Google is not correct (look at the following link)
http://www.google.com/search?q=speed+of+sound+at+sea+level
Here is the answer of Google: "Speed of sound at sea level = 340.29 m/s". This is not a good answer, because they forgot to tell us the important temperature, and the given atmospheric pressure "at sea level" makes really no sense. |
In SI units with dry air at 20°C (68°F), the speed of sound c is 343 meters per second (m/s).
This also equates to 1235 km/h, 1125 feet per second (ft/s or fps), 666 knots, 767.3 miles
per hour (mi/h or mph), 12.79 miles per minute (mi/min), 0.2131 miles per second (mi/s), |
Speed of sound  |
| That means, the ratio p_ / ρ is always constant on a high mountain, and even at "sea level". The static atmospheric pressure p_ and the density of air ρ go always together. The ratio stays constant. When calculating the speed of sound forget the atmospheric pressure, but look accurately at the very important temperature. The speed of sound varies with altitude (height) only because of the changing temperature there! |
| Adiabatic index or ratio of specific heats κ (kappa) = cp / cv = 1.402 for air. Generally we take with sufficient accuracy the formula (equation) for the speed of sound in air in m/s vs. temperature ϑ (theta) in degrees Celsius (centigrade):
That gives e.g. at ϑ = 20°C a speed of sound c = 331.3 + 0.606 × 20 = 343.42 m/s. Often the easy calculation will do: c ≈ 331 + 0.6 × 20 = 343 m/s.
There is a useful formula (rule of thumb) to get the temperature ϑ (°C) when you know the speed of sound c in air (m/s): Formula: Temperature ϑ ≈ (c − 331.5) / 0.6 in °C. With the following formula you can calculate more exactly the speed of sound. Speed of sound  in m/s; temperature ϑ in °CThe speed of sound c depends on the temperature of air and not on the air pressure! The humidity of air has some negligible effect on the speed of sound. The air pressure and the density of air (air density) are proportional to each other at the same temperature. It applies always p / ρ = constant. rho is the density ρ and p is the sound pressure. Therefore air pressure does not enter into the calculation of the speed of sound of air.
Look for the following answer of the question: "What is the speed of sound?" Speed of sound - temperature matters, not air pressure Density of air (air density) ρ = air pressure p_ ÷ (gas constant R × temperature in Kelvin) ρ = p_ / R × T in kg/m3. The specific gas constant for dry air is R = 287.058 J/kg×K Joule J = newton × meter = N m and T in Kelvin = °C + 273.15 Atmospheric pressure p0 = 101325 Pa = 1013.25 mbar = 1013.25 hPa R = 287.058 J/kg×K T0 = 273.15 K at 0°C ρ0 = 101325 / (287.058 × 273.15) = 1.2922 kg/m³ T20 = 293.15 K at 20°C ρ20 = 101325 / (287.058 × 293.15) = 1.2041 kg/m³ Sometimes it is incorrectly assumed that the air pressure and air density are the same. The speed of sound c is not the particle velocity v. The sound velocity is the particle velocity. |
| The speed of sound is called Mach 1 Mach is commonly used to represent an object's speed, such as an aircraft or a missile, when it is travelling at the speed of sound or at multiples of it. The speed higher than Mach 1 is called supersonic speed. |
| Mach number below 1 means the flow velocity is lower than the speed of sound - and the speed is subsonic. Mach number 1 means the flow velocity is the speed of sound - and the speed around that is transonic. Mach number above 1 means the flow velocity is higher than the speed of sound - and the speed is supersonic. More than Mach number 5 is called hypersonic. |
| Note: The speed of sound c is independent of the frequency and the amplitude of the sound wave. |
Table (chart): The clear impact of temperature
Speed of sound, density of air, specific acoustic impedance vs. temperature
| Temperature of air ϑ in °C |
Speed of sound c in m/s |
Time per 1 m Δ t in ms/m |
Density of air ρ in kg/m3 |
Impedance of air Z in N·s/m3 |
| +35 | 351.96 | 2.840 | 1.1455 | 403.2 |
| +30 | 349.08 | 2.864 | 1.1644 | 406.5 |
| +25 | 346.18 | 2.888 | 1.1839 | 409.4 |
| +20 | 343.26 | 2.912 | 1.2041 | 413.3 |
| +15 | 340.31 | 2.937 | 1.2250 | 416.9 |
| +10 | 337.33 | 2.963 | 1.2466 | 420.5 |
| +5 | 334.33 | 2.990 | 1.2690 | 424.3 |
| 0 | 331.30 | 3.017 | 1.2920 | 428.0 |
| −5 | 328.24 | 3.044 | 1.3163 | 432.1 |
| −10 | 325.16 | 3.073 | 1.3413 | 436.1 |
| −15 | 322.04 | 3.103 | 1.3673 | 440.3 |
| −20 | 318.89 | 3.134 | 1.3943 | 444.6 |
| −25 | 315.72 | 3.165 | 1.4224 | 449.1 |
Notice: Air pressure p and air density ρ are not the same.
In gases, the higher the speed of sound in that medium, the higher the pitch will be, when you sing.
Only because of the decreasing air temperature, which decreases with altitude, the speed of sound decreases.
In conventional use and in scientific literature sound velocity is the same as speed of sound or acoustic velocity.
Sound velocity c should not be confused with sound particle velocity v, which is the velocity of the individual particles.
| Approximate speed of sound in common materials |
|||
| Medium | Speed of sound m/s ft/s |
||
| Air, dry at 20°C | 343 | 1 125 | |
| Hydrogen at 0°C | 1 280 | 4 200 | |
| Water at 15 °C | 1 500 | 4 920 | |
| Lead | 2 160 | 7 090 | |
| Concrete | 3 100 | 10 200 | |
| Wood (soft - along the fibre) | 3 800 | 12 500 | |
| Glass | 5 500 | 18 500 | |
| Steel | 5 800 | 19 000 | |
| In a given ideal gas the speed of sound depends only on its temperature. The speed of sound in still air at 0 degrees Celsius is 331.29 m/s. It depends on the temperature and material. Since sound is transferred easily through densely packed molecules, it is faster in denser substances. Thus the speed of sound increases with the stiffness of the material. |
| On the frequent question: "How much is the speed of sound?" must always follow the demand: "At what temperature, please?" Who mentions the barometric pressure, has still something to learn. |
Speed of sound and acoustic velocity
| Speed is the rate of change of distance with time. Velocity is a measure of both speed and direction of a moving object. Velocity is the rate of change of displacement with time. Speed is a distance an object goes, velocity is measurement of speed AND direction. |
|
In a given ideal gas the sound speed depends only on its temperature. The speed of sound in still air at 0 degrees Celsius is 331.29 m/s. It depends on the temperature, and the material. Since sound is more easily transmitted between close molecules, it travels faster in the denser substance. Thus the speed of sound increases with the stiffness of the material. |
Really wrong answers at "Yahoo! Answers"
|
How does the speed of sound in air depend on air pressure? 1st wrong answer: Best Answer - Chosen by Voters Thinner air has less atoms floating around in it than denser (higher pressure) air. Since sound waves travel faster when unimpeded, less air pressure equates to faster speed due to decreased atmospheric 'viscosity'. 2nd wrong answer: Speed of sound in air is directly proportional to the square root of pressure. The correct answer is: The speed of sound does not depend on air pressure, but on temperature. Air pressure is not the same as density of air. |
| Some interesting links to the speed of sound (velocity of sound): Calculation of the speed of sound in humid air and the air pressure Calculation of the wavelength of a wave in air when frequency and temperature is known Speed of sound - temperature matters, not air pressure Pitch change by temperature change (variation) |
| Calculations and conversions of pressure units More conversions of pressure and stress units Conversions of pressure units |
Properties of sound in air
| To use the calculator, simply enter a value. The calculator works in both directions of the ↔ sign. |
Speed and Velocity - The Difference
| Speed is the distance in a certain period of time. Velocity is a measure of both speed and direction of a moving object. Difference: Speed is a distance an object goes in unit time. Velocity is displacement made in unit time. Difference: Speed is a scalar quantity − it only has magnitude and cannot be zero. Velocity is a vector quantity − it has both magnitude and direction and it can be zero. |
| Look at: Dennis A. Bohn, "Environmental Effects on the Speed of Sound" |
Converter: Fahrenheit to Celsius and Celsius to Fahrenheit
| To use the calculator, simply enter a value. The calculator works in both directions of the ↔ sign. |
| Sound pressure or acoustic pressure is the local pressure deviation from the ambient atmospheric pressure caused by a sound wave. Sound pressure can be measured using a microphone in air. The SI unit for sound pressure p is the pascal − symbol: Pa. |
| NASA says: The speed of sound is dependent on the temperature of the air. It varies with altitude (height) only because of the changing temperature! The atmospheric pressure is proportional to the density of air. Therefore both values have no effect on the speed of sound. |
| "Speed of sound":
http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/sound.html "Speed of sound": http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/BGH/sound.html "Atmos Modeler Simulator": http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/atmosi.html "Variables that affect the speed of sound (Quicktime)": http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/topnav/materials/listbytype/Variables_That_Affect_the_Speed.html "Speed of Sound Derivation": http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/BGH/snddrv.html "Mach number": http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/airplane/mach.html |
| Example: The speed of sound in air at 0°C can be calculated as c = (1.4×(287,058 J/K kg)×(273.15 K))^1/2 = 331.2 m/s, where κ (kappa) = 1.4 and specific gas constant R = 287,058 (J/K kg) The speed of sound in air at 20°C can be calculated as c = (1.4×(287,058 J/K kg)×(293.15 K))^1/2 = 343.1 m/s. |
| Zonal mean vertical profile of temperature in the atmosphere during June at 45° North  Temperature vs. Height (Atmospheric Pressure) |
| Wrong thinking: Calculate speed of sound at high elevations. You feel the assumption that this must have to do with height. That is wrong. Only the temperature has to do with the value of the speed of sound. It's pretty cold obove there. |
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