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Running head: SOUND CONDUCTION 1

Sound conduction

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SOUND CONDUCTION 2

Introduction and literature review

Sound is a wave derived when a disturbance oscillates through a given medium.

Mediums include water, gas, or solid, and when particles in such mediums vibrate sound

becomes the result. According to Christov and Jordan (2005), sound is typically a wave of

alternating expansions and compressions, and being a wave of alternating expansions and

compressions, it bounces back more easily on less compressible mediums. According to

mediums such as water are about 15000 times less compressible than air, but its density is 800

times more (Linder and Erickson, 1989). This extra density in this medium means that molecules

move slower and in process slowing the compression wave. As a result water's high density, it

lowers incompressibility thus making it easy for sound to travel faster in water than in air. It can

be argued further that sound travels faster in diamond because it is incompressible and has an

extremely low density. In essence, the two sources offer substantial grounds to further my

research on how fast sound travels across three mediums: water, solid, and air.

Hypothesis

My main hypothesis is “sound travels faster in water than it does in air and solid” I intend

to prove whether the stated hypothesis is correct or wrong at the end of the research. According

to Christov and Jordan (2005), the speed of sound in any medium can be determined by the

equation: v = (Kρ)

-½

Where, v is the speed of sound, K is the compressibility, and ρ is the density.

Equally, the principle that speed=distance/time is of great importance in arriving at the

conclusion herein. Density, speed, and compressibility are a major determinates in arriving at

how fast sound travels through a medium. Ideally, it is important to substantiate my hypothesis

based on the following scientific concept.

SOUND CONDUCTION 3

Methods

Independent Variable

The Independent Variable is what the researcher is altering during the research process, and it is

none other than the water glasses (one filled with water, another with ice, and another one left

empty).

Dependent Variables

Equally, for the research, the dependent variables are the amount of time it takes one to hear the

vibrations after tapping. Time will be measured in seconds.

Control variables

 The empty glass acts as the control variable

 The same type of glasses for each test. The glasses should be doing the same work for

each test (air, solid, and water)

Confounding Variable

Confounding variables (aka third variables) is the variable that the researcher failed to control, or

eliminate; during the experiment is room temperature. Room temperature was constant during

the entire process.

Uncontrolled Confounding variables

The strength or rather the power of hitting the glass was uncontrollable per glass. How the

researcher hit one glass with the rod was not how he hit the other.

Materials

The entire process involves bringing three glasses of similar sizes, timer, a table, three ice cubes,

and water. I will fill one glass to a 2/3 full, the second one put the three ice cubes, and the final

one leaves it empty. What follows is to have a different person tap the first glass with a rod as

you place your head and ear on the table to time the exact time it takes to hear a vibration with a

SOUND CONDUCTION 4

timer. The hitting of the second glass of water will be done after the first recording time taken to

hear the first vibration. The same thing will be done for the third glass.

Results

Material

Force

Speed/vibration

Glass with 2/3 water

Soft

1.47 seconds

Glass with 2/3 ice

cubes

Hard

1.20 seconds

Empty Glass

Low

2.23 seconds

From the results of sound, conduction is faster in solids than it is on air (empty glass) and

water. In air (2.23 seconds) sound conduction is slow because the particles are far apart and have

to travel far before bumping into each other to generate a vibration. Ideally, even though there is

little resistance in the air to start a wave it typically takes longer for the particles to collide and

create sound. In water (1.47 seconds), particles are much closer than they are in air hence easier

to initiate a vibration. But despite having water particles closer together, it takes more energy to

initiate a vibration in water than it is in the air. Fait sound in air cannot cause vibrations in water

as it cannot force water particles to collide. Finally, in solids (1.20 seconds) particles are very

close to each other and are typically easier to initiate a vibration than in air and water.

Nevertheless, more energy is required to propel the vibration.

Conclusion

SOUND CONDUCTION 5

In conclusion, based on the research and existing literature the hypothesis is refutable.

This is because there is no way sound will travels faster in water than it does in air and solid. The

correct statement is that sound travels faster in solid than it does in air and liquid. From the

research, sound passed faster and clearer through a glass filled with ice cubes followed by the

glass with water, and finally, the glass that was empty. Therefore, sound travels differently

across mediums and what determines the speed of sound is the energy used to influence wave

generation. Nevertheless, sound passes across all mediums except a vacuum.

SOUND CONDUCTION 6

References

Christov, C. I., & Jordan, P. M. (2005). Heat conduction paradox involving second-sound

propagation in moving media. Physical review letters, 94(15), 154301.

Linder, C. J., & Erickson, G. L. (1989). A study of tertiary physics students’ conceptualizations

of sound. International Journal of Science Education, 11(5), 491-501.

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