Lab: Measuring the Speed of Sound in Air (with uncertainty analysis)
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Description
Students use a microphone and Vernier LabQuest to record the sound of a finger-snap echo in a 1-2 meter cardboard tube. Students measure the time for the echo to return to the microphone, and measure the length of the tube. Using their measurements, students determine the speed of sound. While other authors have produced similar labs, this version includes uncertainty analysis consistent with effective measurement technique as presented in the module Measurement and Uncertainty.
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Topics and Grades
Grade: 9 to 12, Undergraduate to Graduate
Topics: Professional Development, Light, Sound & Other Waves, Physics
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Resource Type/Classification:
- Teacher Materials
Tool for: Teachers