When speed of sound is not negligible

In summary, a stone is dropped from rest at the opening of a well and 2.40 seconds later a splash is heard. Given that the speed of sound is 336m/s and the acceleration due to gravity is -9.8m/s^2, the distance the rock travels is equal to the distance the sound traveled. By solving for the time it takes for the sound to come back up and adding it to the time the rock takes to fall, we can find the depth of the well. Using the quadratic formula, we can solve for the time it takes for the rock to hit the water, which is 2.32 seconds. Plugging this into the original distance equation, we get a depth of -
  • #1
OpticalSuit
9
0

Homework Statement



A stone is dropped from rest at the opening of a well, 2.40s later a splash is heard. how deep is the well?
given that speed of sound is 336m/s.

Homework Equations



xf=xi+vit+1/2at2

The Attempt at a Solution


What does one do to account for the time it takes for the sound to bounce back?!?
 
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  • #2
OpticalSuit said:

Homework Statement



A stone is dropped from rest at the opening of a well, 2.40s later a splash is heard. how deep is the well?
given that speed of sound is 336m/s.

Homework Equations



xf=xi+vit+1/2at2

The Attempt at a Solution


What does one do to account for the time it takes for the sound to bounce back?!?

If the well has a depth d, what is the time for the sound to come out again (as a function of d)

Add this to the time the rock takes to fall to this depth, and the outcome should be 2.4s
This will allow you to find d.
 
  • #3
thanx for the reply but i figured out the problem in the end
here is what i wrote:
The sound is heard after 2.40 seconds and sound travels 336m/s. And we know the acceleration due to gravity is -9.8m/s^2. The distance the rock travels is equal to the distance sound traveled x1=x2. And the time the rock took to hit the water added to the time the sound came up is equal to 2.40 s t1+t2=2.40s.
We must solve for one of the times in order to find the distance.
The distance equation for the rock is x1=1/2gt^2 since the intial velocity and distance is 0. For sound we have x2=vt. Therefor 1/2gt1^2=vt2, now we bring vt2 over to get (1/2)gt1^2-vt2=0. Since we know t1+t2=2.40s, therefore t2=2.40s-t1. Plugging that in gives us ½(-9.8)t1^2-(336)(2.40s-t1)=0 which gives us ½(-9.8)t1^2+336t1-806.4. now using the quadratic formula we can solve for t1 which gives us two values of either -2.32 or 70.9. logically we will take 2.32seconds for the rock to hit the water. Plugging that into the original distance equation of the rock gives us ½(9.8)(2.32)^2=-26.4 meters
 

FAQ: When speed of sound is not negligible

1. What is the speed of sound?

The speed of sound is the rate at which sound waves travel through a medium, such as air or water. It is approximately 343 meters per second in dry air at 20 degrees Celsius.

2. When is the speed of sound not negligible?

The speed of sound is not negligible when it is significant enough to affect the accuracy of measurements or calculations. This can occur in situations where the speed of sound is comparable to the speed of an object or when there is a large difference in the speed of sound between two mediums.

3. How does the speed of sound affect the movement of objects?

The speed of sound can affect the movement of objects by creating resistance or drag. This is particularly evident in high-speed objects, such as airplanes, where the speed of sound can create a shock wave and cause drag on the aircraft.

4. What factors can affect the speed of sound?

The speed of sound can be affected by several factors, including temperature, humidity, and the medium through which it is traveling. Higher temperatures and humidity can increase the speed of sound, while different mediums, such as air or water, can have different speeds of sound.

5. How is the speed of sound calculated?

The speed of sound can be calculated using the formula v = √(γRT), where v is the speed of sound, γ is the adiabatic index of the medium, R is the gas constant, and T is the temperature in Kelvin. This formula is derived from the ideal gas law and is dependent on the properties of the medium through which the sound is traveling.

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