Question
Show that the speed of sound in 20C20^\circ\textrm{C} air is 343 m/s, as claimed in the text.
Question by OpenStax is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Final Answer

see explanation in the video.

Solution video

OpenStax College Physics for AP® Courses, Chapter 17, Problem 5 (Problems & Exercises)

OpenStax College Physics, Chapter 17, Problem 5 (PE) video thumbnail

In order to watch this solution you need to have a subscription.

Start free trial Log in
vote with a rating of votes with an average rating of .

Calculator Screenshots

  • OpenStax College Physics, Chapter 17, Problem 5 (PE) calculator screenshot 1
Video Transcript
This is College Physics Answers with Shaun Dychko. We are going to show that the speed of sound in air that has a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius is 343 meters per second. So we have a formula for the speed of sound based on the air temperature which is 331 meters per second multiplied by the square root of the air temperature divided by 273 Kelvin. So this temperature in the numerator of this fraction has to be absolute temperature. So we need to convert the 20 degrees Celsius into Kelvin by adding 273.15. And so we go 331 times square root of 20 plus 273.15 divided by 273 giving us 343 meter per second. And so we have verified that this is indeed the speed when the air temperature is 20 degrees Celsius.