Final answer:
The speed of sound in air at 70°F is slightly above the known speed at room temperature (343 m/s), estimated around 344 m/s, since the speed of sound increases with increasing temperature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The speed of sound in air typically changes with temperature, an important factor considered in physics. The accepted speed of sound at room temperature (around 20°C or 68°F) is approximately 343 m/s. However, at 0°C, the speed of sound is reported to be 331 m/s. Since the speed of sound in air increases with temperature, we can use this information to estimate the speed at 70°F (21°C).
To find the speed of sound at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, we can use the fact that speed of sound in air at 0°C is 331 m/s and at 20°C it is approximately 343 m/s. Given that sound speed increases with temperature and 70°F is close to 21°C, we can estimate that the speed of sound at 70°F is slightly above 343 m/s, considering the near linear increase within this temperature range.
The exact relationship between temperature and speed of sound in air is dependent on the square root of temperature, meaning that with every degree rise in temperature, the speed of sound increases but not in a strictly linear fashion.
Nonetheless, for small temperature changes, the speed can be approximated to increase linearly at about 0.6 m/s per degree Celsius increase in temperature. Therefore, at 70°F, which is approximately 21°C, the speed of sound would be roughly 344 m/s.