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The speed of sound is the distance travelled per unit of time by a sound wave as it propagates through an elastic medium. At 20 °C (68 °F), the speed of sound in air is about 343 m/s (1,125 ft/s; 1,235 km/h; 767 mph; 667 kn), or 1 km in 2.91 s or one mile in 4.69 s.
May 31, 2013 · On Earth, the speed of sound at sea level — assuming an air temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) — is 761.2 mph (1,225 km/h). Because gas molecules move more slowly...
Jun 17, 2023 · Learn how to calculate the speed of sound in different materials and factors that affect it. Find out the speed of sound on Mars and the hot chocolate effect.
Learn about the speed of sound in different materials, such as air and water, and how it varies with temperature. Also, find out about the Doppler effect, the apparent change in frequency of sound or light waves due to motion.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Sep 12, 2022 · Learning Objectives. Explain the relationship between wavelength and frequency of sound. Determine the speed of sound in different media. Derive the equation for the speed of sound in air. Determine the speed of sound in air for a given temperature.
How fast does sound travel? Explore the nature of sound waves and how they travel. Discover why sound is a longitudinal wave and how its speed is influenced by the medium it travels through. Learn about the relationship between wavelength, frequency, and speed, and how changing the medium affects the speed of sound. Created by David SantoPietro.
- 4 min
- David SantoPietro
The speed of a sound wave refers to how fast a sound wave is passed from particle to particle through a medium. The speed of a sound wave in air depends upon the properties of the air - primarily the temperature. Sound travels faster in solids than it does in liquids; sound travels slowest in gases such as air.
