The option that shows the conditions used by Laplace for correcting the velocity of sound is
Correct answer: C. C
- A. A
- B. B
- C. C
- D. D
Explanation
C) Medium Used: Gas, Thermodynamics Process: Adiabatic This is the correct option. Sir Isaac Newton initially theorized that sound propagates isothermally (constant temperature) in a gas. However, this led to a calculated speed of sound that was lower than the experimentally observed value. Pierre-Simon Laplace corrected Newton's formula by proposing that the compressions and rarefactions that occur as sound waves travel through a gas happen so rapidly that there isn't enough time for heat to exchange with the surroundings. This means the process is adiabatic (no heat exchange). This adiabatic assumption brings the theoretical speed of sound in close agreement with experimental results.
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About Speed of Sound
The speed of sound depends on the properties of the medium, including its elasticity and density, and in gases it varies mainly with temperature. Questions connect speed with frequency and wavelength, compare sound in solids, liquids and gases, and distinguish the speed of propagation from the oscillating particles' motion.
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