Is the speed of sound faster in an open tube?

In summary, the conversation discusses an experiment conducted in a general physics class to measure the speed of sound. The experiment involved snapping fingers in an open tube and a closed tube, with the open tube showing a faster speed. The person is unsure if the measurements were done correctly or if there is an explanation for the difference in speed. They mention searching online for an answer, but finding none. The length of the tubes and the precision of the timing device used in the experiment are also discussed. The conversation ends with a question on whether the tubes should be the same or if there is a reason for them to be different.
  • #1
notpmaws
2
0
So my friend in a general physics class did an experiment testing the speed of sound by snapping their fingers and having it bounce through a tube open and another that is closed. They measured a faster speed in the open tube and I am at a loss why. Did they do the measurements wrong possibly or is there an explanation for faster speed of sound in an open tube? They measured the speed of sound in the open tube about 10 m/s faster.

I tried to do a search on the net but found nothing besides it changing the effective length of the wave and such, but not sure that effects the speed. Thanks.
 
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  • #2
How long of a tube and how was it measured? You'd need a measurement precision of 1/100th second to be able to measure a difference of 10 m/s.
 
  • #3
Hmm I am not sure how long of tubes were used, I think about 8ish feet. They just used a computer program and microphone and snapping their fingers to measure the sound wave bouncing back. Not sure what program they used.

Should there be a difference though in the 2 tubes or should they be the same? If different then why is that?
 
Last edited:
  • #4
There should be no difference. What is the precision of the timing device?
 

Related to Is the speed of sound faster in an open tube?

What is the speed of sound in tubes?

The speed of sound in tubes depends on various factors such as the type of gas or medium inside the tube, the temperature, and the diameter and length of the tube. In general, the speed of sound in tubes is around 343 meters per second in dry air at room temperature.

How does the diameter of a tube affect the speed of sound?

The speed of sound in tubes is directly proportional to the diameter of the tube. This means that the larger the diameter of the tube, the higher the speed of sound will be. This is because a larger diameter allows for more molecules of the gas or medium to vibrate, resulting in a faster speed of sound.

What happens to the speed of sound in a tube at higher temperatures?

The speed of sound in tubes increases as the temperature increases. This is because at higher temperatures, the molecules in the gas or medium have more energy and are able to vibrate faster, resulting in a faster speed of sound.

How does the length of a tube affect the speed of sound?

The speed of sound in tubes is inversely proportional to the length of the tube. This means that the longer the tube, the slower the speed of sound will be. This is because the longer the tube, the longer it takes for the sound waves to travel through it, resulting in a slower speed of sound.

What is the relationship between the speed of sound and the density of a gas or medium?

The speed of sound in tubes is directly proportional to the square root of the density of the gas or medium. This means that as the density of the gas or medium increases, the speed of sound will also increase. This relationship is due to the fact that denser materials have more molecules to vibrate, resulting in a faster speed of sound.

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