Effect of Pressure on the Structure of and Sound Velocity in Water

Abstract

A simple model was used to describe the propagation of sound in water. This model assumed that sound waves travel at infinite velocity within the molecules and at gas kinetic velocities through the spaces between the molecules. Resulting calculations showed that the latter velocity increases with pressure. From the change of sound velocity and acoustical properties for normal water and from those for nonassociated water, which were obtained from acoustical data for mixtures of alcohol and water, the change of the water structure with pressure was calculated and compared with the results of Gierer and Wirtz.