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The speed of sound is the distance travelled per unit of time by a sound wave as it propagates through an elastic medium. At 20 °C (68 °F), the speed of sound in air is about 343 m/s (1,125 ft/s; 1,235 km/h; 767 mph; 667 kn), or 1 km in 2.91 s or one mile in 4.69 s.
Learn what is the speed of sound, how to calculate it using the formula, and what factors affect it in different media. Find out the speed of sound in solids, liquids, gases and vacuum, and see examples and FAQs.
- 115 min
Jun 20, 2024 · Learn about the speed of sound in different materials, such as air and water, and how it varies with temperature. Also, find out about the Doppler effect, the apparent change in frequency of sound or light waves due to motion.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Sep 12, 2022 · The speed of sound can change when sound travels from one medium to another, but the frequency usually remains the same. This is similar to the frequency of a wave on a string being equal to the frequency of the force oscillating the string.
May 31, 2013 · On Earth, the speed of sound at sea level — assuming an air temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius) — is 761.2 mph (1,225 km/h). Because gas molecules move more slowly...
Jun 17, 2023 · In physics, the speed of sound is the distance traveled per unit of time by a sound wave through a medium. It is highest for stiff solids and lowest for gases. There is no sound or speed of sound in a vacuum because sound (unlike light) requires a medium in order to propogate.
Learn how sound waves travel and how the speed of sound depends on the medium and frequency. Watch a video and read comments from other learners on the topic of sound.
- 4 min
- David SantoPietro
