Expt2 Sound PDF

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Laboratory Experiment in Physics 32
Name:________________ Lab. Schedule:_______ Score:________________

Course & Year:__________ Semester:__________ Date Performed:________
Group No.:_____________ School Year:_________ Date Submitted:________
SPEED OF SOUND
Experiment No. 2
If a vibrating tuning fork is held above a closed pipe of the proper length, the air in the pipe will
vibrate at the same frequency, f, as the tuning fork. By placing a glass tube in a large, water-
filled graduated cylinder, the length of the glass tube can be changed by raising or lowering it in
the water. The shortest column of air that will resonate occurs when the tube is one-fourth of a
wavelength long. This resonance will produce the loudest sound, and the wavelength at this
resonance is described by  = 4L , where L is the length from the water to the open end of the
pipe. In this lab, you will determine L, calculate λ, and calculate the speed of sound.
Objectives: At the end of the experiment, the student must be able to:
1. Collect and organize data to obtain resonant points in a closed pipe.
2. Measure the length of a closed-pipe resonator.
3. Analyze the data to determine the speed of sound.
Apparatus and Materials: three tuning forks of known frequencies; graduated cylinder (1000-
mL); water; tuning fork mallet; metric ruler; thermometer; glass tube
Procedure:
1. Fill the graduated cylinder nearly to the top with water.

2. Measure the room air temperature and record it in Data Table 1.
3. Select a tuning fork and record its frequency in Data Tables 2 and 3.
4. Measure and record the diameter of the glass tube in Data Table 2.
5. Carefully place the glass tube into the water-filled graduated cylinder.
6. Hold the tuning fork by the base. Swiftly strike it on the side with the tuning fork mallet.
Do not strike the tuning fork on the laboratory table or other hard surface.
7. Hold the vibrating fork over the open end of the glass tube and slowly raise the tube and
the fork until the loudest sound is heard. Once this point is located, move the tube up
and down slightly to determine the exact point of resonance. Measure the distance
from the water to the top of the glass tube and record this distance in Data Table 2.
8. Repeat steps 3, 6, and 7 for two additional tuning forks and record your results as trials 2
and 3. The three tuning forks that you test should resonate at three different
frequencies.
9. Empty the water from the graduated cylinder.
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Data Table 1
Trial Temperature (°C) Accepted Speed of Sound (m/s) Experimental Speed of Sound (m/s)
1
2
3
Data Table 2
Tuning Fork Diameter Length of Tube Above Calculated
Trial
Frequency (Hz) (m) Water (m) Wavelength (m)
1
2
3
Data Table 3
Tuning Fork Accepted Speed Corrected Calculated Corrected Experimental
Trial
Frequency (Hz) of Sound (m/s) Wavelength (m) Speed of Sound (m/s)
1
2
3
Analysis:
1. Calculate the accepted speed of sound using the relationship v = 331m / s + 0.60T , where
v is the speed of sound at temperature T, and T is the air temperature in degrees
Celsius. Record this as the accepted speed of sound in Data Tables 1 and 3 for all the
trials.
2. Since the first resonant point is located when the tube is one-fourth of a wavelength
above the water, use the measured length of the tube to determine the calculated
wavelength for each trial. Record the calculated wavelengths in Data Table 2.
3. Multiply the values in Data Table 2 of wavelength and frequency to determine the
experimental speed of sound and record this in Data Table 1 for each of the trials.
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4. For each trial in Data Table 1, determine the relative error between the experimental and
accepted speed of sound.
Acceptedvalue − Experimentalvalue
Re lativeerror = 100
Acceptedvalue
5. To improve the accuracy of your calculations, the tube diameter must be taken into
consideration. The following relationship provides a more accurate calculation of
wavelength:  = 4 ( L + 0.4d ) , where λ is the wavelength, L is the length of the tube
above the water, and d is the inside diameter of the tube. Using the values in Data Table
1 for length and diameter, recalculate λ and record it in Data Table 3 as the corrected
wavelength. Calculate the corrected experimental speed of sound by multiplying the
tuning fork frequency and corrected wavelength and record the new value for the
corrected experimental speed of sound in Data Table 3.
6. For each trial in Data Table 3, determine the relative error between the corrected
experimental speed and the accepted speed of sound. Use the same formula that you
used in step 4, above.
Note: Attach sample computations on a separate sheet.
Conclusion:
1. In general, the first resonant point occurs when the tube length = λ/4. What are the next
two lengths where resonance will occur?
2. If you had a longer tube, would it be possible to locate another position where the
resonance occurs? Explain your answer.

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10

Laboratory Experiment in Physics 32

Name:____________ Lab. Schedule:_ Score:______________

1. Fill the graduated cylinder nearly to the top with water.

Note: Attach sample computations on a separate sheet.

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