Abstract
This paper demonstrates a variation on the classic Kundt’s tube experiment for measuring the speed of sound. The speed of sound in air is measured using a smartphone and a cardboard tube, making the experiment very economical in terms of equipment. The speed of sound in air is measured to within 3% of the theoretical prediction.
Highlights
In recent years, smartphones have become packed with sensors; microphones, cameras, accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes, thermometers, proximity sensors etc
A common experiment in physics education is to measure the speed of sound c in air, or other gasses, by observing standing acoustic waves in a tube
For the half-closed tube, the resonances occur when the length of the tube equals an odd number of quarter wavelengths of the incident wave: straight line to them, we can calculate the speed of sound as c = 4aL
Summary
Smartphones have become packed with sensors; microphones, cameras, accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes, thermometers, proximity sensors etc. A common experiment in physics education is to measure the speed of sound c in air, or other gasses, by observing standing acoustic waves in a tube. This means that if we can determine both the frequency and wavelength of the wave, we can measure the speed of sound in the medium For this experiment, the medium in question is air at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. For the half-closed tube, the resonances occur when the length of the tube equals an odd number of quarter wavelengths of the incident wave: straight line to them, we can calculate the speed of sound as c = 4aL. The following equipment is used for this experiment: a smartphone with a signal generator app and a recording app installed; a cardboard tube, closed in one end; a thermometer; a tape measure; a computer. The temperature in the anechoic chamber is measured to be 24 °C
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