Physics
Measure Speed Of Sound
Measure speed of sound in air.
Mission
Measure speed of sound in air
Curriculum Alignment
| Standard | Syllabus code | Topic | Coverage | Grades | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NGSS | HS-PS4-1 | HS-PS4-1 (wave properties) — closest general PE, not speed-of-sound-measurement specific | Partial | 9–12 | |
| British / IGCSE | 0625 §3.4 | CAIE IGCSE Physics 0625 — 3.4 Sound (Core #5 speed ≈330-350 m/s, Core #6 method involving distance/time measurement) | Full | 9–10 | |
| IB | DP C | DP Physics — Theme C Wave behaviour (wave speed v=fλ, sound as longitudinal wave) | Full | 11–12 | |
| CBSE | Class 9 Ch 12 | CBSE/NCERT Class 9 Science — Ch 12 Sound (speed of sound, v=fλ) | Full | 9–9 | |
| AERO / AP | Partial | 8–9 |
Variables
What you change
- Moving distance
What you measure
- Speed
What you keep constant
- Initial position
- Air Resistance
- Surface flatness
Equations
d=Distance (m)
t=Time (s)
S=Speed (\frac{m}{s})
Speed of sound = \frac{Distance travelled by sound (m)}{Time calculated by sensor (s)} = \frac{2*0.2}{t}
What You'll Need
- Breadboard 400 Tie Point
- Arduino Uno
- I2C LCD
- Ultrasonic Sensor
Estimated Time
Virtual mode 7 minTest mode 10 minExercise mode 9 min
Mind-Blowing Fact
Rolling around at the speed of sound.
Sound travels much slower than light. This is why lightning is seen first before hearing thunder.
How You Can Run It
Virtual modeTest modeExercise modeView-only modeAccessibility modeTobii eye trackingVoice commandsArduino integrationAmericanBritishIB