| Aim | The aim of this experiment is to determine the speed of sound in air at room temperature by using a resonance tube and measuring two resonance positions. |
| Apparatus Required | Resonance tube Tuning fork Water Meter stick or ruler Thermometer Stopwatch or timer |
| Theory | The speed of sound in air at room temperature is given by the formula: Speed of sound = 2L(n + ½) / T Where L is the length of the resonance tube, n is the number of resonance positions, T is the time period of the tuning fork, and ½ is a correction factor. In this experiment, we will use a resonance tube to measure the length of the air column that resonates with the sound produced by a tuning fork. By measuring the length of the air column for two different resonance positions, we can calculate the speed of sound in air at room temperature. |
| Procedure | Fill the resonance tube with water up to a certain level and place it on a stand. Measure the temperature of the water in the tube using a thermometer and record the value. Strike the tuning fork against a hard surface and hold it near the open end of the resonance tube. Adjust the water level in the tube by adding or removing water until a clear resonance sound is heard. Measure the length of the air column in the resonance tube using a meter stick or ruler. Record the length of the air column and the frequency of the tuning fork. Repeat steps 3-6 for a different frequency of the tuning fork. Calculate the speed of sound in air at room temperature using the formula mentioned above. |
| Observation and Result | Observation: The length of the air column in the resonance tube for the first resonance position is L1, and the frequency of the tuning fork is f1. The length of the air column in the resonance tube for the second resonance position is L2, and the frequency of the tuning fork is f2. The temperature of the water in the tube is recorded as T. Result: Calculate the time period of the tuning fork using the formula: T = 1 / f. Calculate the speed of sound using the formula: Speed of sound = 2L(n + ½) / T Calculate the average speed of sound by taking the mean of the two speeds obtained from the two resonance positions. By repeating the experiment several times and taking the average, we can obtain a more accurate value for the speed of sound in air at room temperature. |
