Final answer:
To determine the speed of sound, conduct an experiment using a graduated cylinder, water, and a tuning fork of unknown frequency. Strike the fork and hold it near the top of the cylinder, adjusting the height until a standing wave pattern forms. Measure the distance between nodes or antinodes and use the equation v = λf to calculate the speed of sound.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the speed of sound, we can conduct an experiment using a graduated cylinder, water, and a tuning fork of unknown frequency. Here is the procedure:
- Fill the graduated cylinder with water.
- Strike the tuning fork on a hard surface to set it vibrating.
- Hold the vibrating fork near the top of the graduated cylinder, ensuring that the prongs of the tuning fork are submerged in the water.
- Adjust the height of the tuning fork until a standing wave pattern is formed in the water, with visible nodes and antinodes.
- Measure the distance between two adjacent nodes or two adjacent antinodes. This distance is half the wavelength of the sound wave.
- Repeat steps 3-5 for different frequencies of tuning forks.
- Use the equation v = λf, where v is the speed of sound, λ is the wavelength, and f is the frequency, to calculate the speed of sound for each frequency of the tuning fork.
Assumptions: The temperature and humidity of the room remain constant during the experiment. The diameter of the graduated cylinder is negligible compared to the wavelength of the sound waves.
To improve the accuracy of the procedure, you can use a smartphone app that measures sound frequency to determine the exact frequency of the tuning fork. You can also repeat the experiment multiple times and calculate the average speed of sound.