Experiment 23

Air Column Resonance: The

Speed of Sound in Air

Performed By: Mario Spiroski

Laboratory Partners:
Kevin Vozza
Joan Madera
David Jaroslawski

Date: 10/15/2015

Objectives1:
1. Explain why a closed organ pipe has particular resonant frequencies.
2. Tell how the speed of sound in air is affected by temperature and what effect this has on
air column resonance.
3. Describe how a resonance tube can be used to measure the speed of sound in air or to
determine the unknown frequency of a tuning fork.

1 Physics Laboratory Experiments, 8th edition, Jerry Wilson, Cecilia Hernandez, Cengage
Learning, 2015, page 281

Theory:
There are three experimental parameters that are involved in this experiment are the speed of
sound in air, the frequency, and the length of the air column. By varying the frequency and the
length of the air column, the speed of sound in air can be calculated2.
f n=

nv
wheren=1,3, 5,
4L

By varying the height of water in the tube, the air column can be shortened or lengthened so that
the antinode appears on the top of the tube. When that happens, the resonant sound is heard. If
the frequency of the tuning fork is known, as well as the length of the air column, the speed of
sound in air can be calculated.
v s=f
If the frequency of the tuning fork is unknown, using the temperature of the room, the
speed of sound in air at that specific temperature can be calculated. Using the speed and
wavelength, the frequency of the unknown tuning fork can be calculated.
v s=( 331.5+0.6 T c )
f=

m
s

vs

fn fundamental frequency (Hz)

2 Physics Laboratory Experiments, 8th edition, Jerry Wilson, Cecilia Hernandez, Cengage
Learning, 2015, page 282

L length measured on the tube (m)

wavelength (m)
vs speed of sound in air (m/s)

3 Figure 2 and 3, Physics Laboratory Experiments, 8th edition, Jerry Wilson, Cecilia Hernandez,
Cengage Learning, 2015, page 282-283

Data:
DATA TABLE4
Temperature 21.5 C
Inside diameter of tube, I.D. 3.25cm
Tuning Fork 1

Tuning fork 2

Frequency f 480 Hz

Frequency f 512 Hz

Position of
resonance
(cm)
L
1
L
2
L
3
L
4

L
(cm)

Position of
resonance
(cm)

16.5

L
(cm)

15.5

Tuning fork 3
Frequency f 1024
Hz
Position of
L
resonance
(cm)
(cm)
24

51

34.5

49

33.5

41

17

87

36

82

33

58

17

75

17

Average L
Average

35.25
70.5

33.25
66.5

Fork Number
1
2
3
Average vs
Accepted vs
Percent error
between the
average and
accepted
values

17
34

Experimenta
l speed of
sound in air
vs (m/s)
338.4
340.48
348.16
342.346666
7
344.4

0.60%

4 Physics Laboratory Experiments, 8th edition, Jerry Wilson, Cecilia Hernandez, Cengage
Learning, 2015, page 285

Analysis:
In this experiment there were two sources of error. The first one was the human error while doing
the experiment. The tube was supposed to be marked when the resonant sound was heard. When
the 480 Hz and 512 Hz tuning forks were used, it was more difficult for the listener to hear the
resonant frequency. It was also difficult to differentiate when the resonant sound was the loudest
when the water was in a certain level in the tube. Because human hearing varies from person to
person, the highest resonant frequency may not have been heard when the antinode of the sound
wave produced by the fork was at the opening of the tube.
The second source of error was caused by the equipment used to do the experiment. The
bottom of the tube filled with water was leaking throughout the experiment, and it made it
difficult to measure the exact position of the water in the tube. Frequent adjustments needed to be
made to make sure that the loudest sound coming from the top of the tube was heard.
The percent error for this experiment was 0.60%.

Fork Number
1
2
3
Average vs
Accepted vs
Percent error
between the
average and
accepted
values

Experimenta
l speed of
sound in air
vs (m/s)
338.4
340.48
348.16
342.346666
7
344.4

0.60%

Conclusion:
In this experiment a long tube was filled with water and a tuning fork was struck at the
opening of the tube. By altering the water level in the tube, the resonant sound coming back from
the tube was heard, and the water level was marked. By doing multiple measurements at different
water levels, the wavelength of the resulting wave could be calculated using the equation =2L.
When the antinode of the resultant wave is at the opening of the tube, the resonant sound from
the tuning fork can be heard the loudest. By knowing the frequency on the tuning fork, the speed
of sound in air can be calculated by using the equation vs=f.
After calculating the speed of sound using the frequency and wavelength for each of the
three forks, those values are compared to the speed of sound of air calculated using the equation
vs = (331.5+0.6Tc) m/s.
At the lowest possible frequency and longest wavelength, the wave will have a node at
the closed end of the air column, and an antinode at the open end5. When the antinode is at the
opening of the tube, the resonant sound is the loudest because at that point is the maximum
amplitude of the wave6.

5 Sound waves and Music, Closed-Air columns, Standing Wave Patterns and Harmonics, page 1
(http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound/Lesson-5/Closed-End-Air-Columns)
6 Fundamentals of Physics, 10th edition, Halliday, Resnick, Wiley, 2014, page 466

Questions7:
1. Suppose that the laboratory temperature were 5C higher than the temperature at which
you performed the experiment. Explain what effects this would have on the experimental
results.
If the temperature were 5C higher, the accepted value for the speed of sound in air
would be higher, or 347.4 m/s (Using Equation 3)8. That number raises the percent error
in the experiment results.
Average vs
Accepted vs at
T=21.5C
Accepted vs at
T=26.5C
Percent error
between the
average and
accepted values at
T=26.5C
Percent error
between the
average and
accepted values at
T=21.5C

342.346666
7
344.4
347.4

1.47%

0.60%

2. Say the water in the tube was at the level for the tube length L1 of the first resonance of
the first tuning fork.
a. Could another tuning fork with a frequency lower than that of the first tuning fork
produce a resonance? No, because when the frequency is lower, the wavelength is longer,
therefore there wouldnt be enough space in the tube to produce a resonance.
7 Physics Laboratory Experiments, 8th edition, Jerry Wilson, Cecilia Hernandez, Cengage
Learning, 2015, page 286
8 Physics Laboratory Experiments, 8th edition, Jerry Wilson, Cecilia Hernandez, Cengage
Learning, 2015, page 283

b. Could another tuning fork of some higher frequency produce a resonance? Yes, because
when the frequency is higher, the wavelength is shorter.
c. If the frequency is yes in either case, what would be the frequency of the other fork? The
frequency of the other fork would have to be greater than the first tuning fork.