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A student claps his hands in an enclosed stairwell. He hears the echo 0.3s later.

He used the speed of sound to calculate the height of the stairwell.
Give two reasons why the height of the stairwell might not be accurate.

User RabidFire
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1 Answer

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There are several reasons why the height of the stairwell calculated based on the speed of sound might not be accurate. Here are two possible reasons:

  • 1. Inaccurate measurement of the time delay: The student may not have accurately measured the time delay between clapping their hands and hearing the echo. Any error in measuring this time delay will result in an incorrect calculation of the height. Factors such as human error, imprecise timing methods, or difficulty in discerning the exact moment the echo reaches the student's ears can contribute to inaccuracies in the time measurement.

  • 2. Assumptions about the speed of sound: The calculation relies on the assumption that the speed of sound is constant and known. However, the speed of sound can vary depending on the temperature, humidity, and other atmospheric conditions. If the student used an inaccurate or outdated value for the speed of sound or failed to account for changes in environmental conditions within the stairwell, the calculated height will be affected.

Other potential reasons for inaccuracy could include echoes or reverberations that are not directly related to the height of the stairwell, such as sound reflections from nearby objects or irregularities in the stairwell's structure that affect the propagation of sound waves. Additionally, if the stairwell is not perfectly enclosed, sound may escape or enter from other openings, affecting the accuracy of the measurement.


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User Alleus
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