The formula for the speed of sound is presented in the window below. The animated bar chart on the right shows the speeds of sound for various media including air, water, gold, and granite.
The speed of sound demonstration is shown in the window below. The demonstration illustrates the relative speed of sound in the media of air, water, and gold. When the demonstration is initiated, the tiger images below begin to growl. The sound waves of the tiger growls move rightward until they reach the men (Elmer Fudds) on the right. When sound waves reach a man, a tiger growl is heard and the expression of the man turns to fear.
To listen to the tiger roar, press the sound button for the
appropriate audio format.
AIFF format
AU format
Macintosh System 7
Return to sound wave module page