Experiment 304: Kundts Tube: Velocity of Sound in Solid

Raagas, Michelle Mae G.

School of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Biological Engineering, and Material
Science Engineering
Mapua Institute of Technology, 658 Muralla St., Intramuros, Manila City, Philippines
michellemaeraagas@gmail.com

OBJECTIVE:
The main goal of this experiment is to determine the
velocity of sound precisely in a metal rod. In
addition, it also aims to distinguish the behavior of
sound waves also its motion using the principles of
resonance.
We wishes to discuss the relation of the velocity of
sound and the wave length using the concept of
resonance and prove it by performing the
experiment.

Before performing the experiment, set-up the

apparatus. But in our class, it is already arranged.
There are powder inside the kundts tube which will
made the waves and the center of the rod are properly
clamp. Also, the rag has a rosin already.
First thing to do is to get the temperature, it is needed
to know the velocity of sound in air. Then, measure
the length of the rod from the center to the other end.
This experiment has a one simple step, it is to stroke
the rod with the metal sample using the rag with rosin
in it. See figure 2

METHODOLOGY:
For the experiment to be successful, we will be using
materials that are related to it. It will help us to
acquire data that we will need later for the
computations. See figure 1

Figure 2. stroking of metal rod

Figure 1. Materials that are needed in the
experiment (kundt's tube apparatus, meter stick,
cloth, thermometer, rosin, lycopodium powder)

Expect a high pitch sound and vibration inside the

tube. Repeat the stroking of the rod until it forms a
wave. Be sure that the powder inside the kundts tube
is enough as well as the rosin in the jar because it

sharpen the friction on the rod to be able to produce

wave to encounter less errors in this experiment. See
figure 3

After the gathering of all the data, you are now able
to compute for the velocity of sound in the metal rod
using the two equations.
L

Vr = Va (Lr )

(equation 1)

(equation 2)

And compare it to the actual value of the velocity of

sound in a metal rod which is 3475 m/s.
Figure 3. Formed waves
After the formation of waves, measure the length of
its segment. See figure 4 and 5

Figure 4. measuring the segment

DATA and SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS

KUNDTS TUBE: VELOCITY OF SOUND IN
SOLID
91.5
cm
Length of metal rod,
Average Length of powder 9.3
cm
segment,
Temperature of air, t
27

348.2
m/s
Velocity of sound in air,
m/s
Velocity of sound in the rod, 3425.84
from equation 3
m/s
Velocity of sound in the rod, 3475
from textbook
Percentage error
1.41
%
Density of the rod,
8700
g/
m/s
Velocity of sound in the rod, 3390.32
from equation 4
Percentage error
2.44
%
Sample computation:
from textbook = 3475 m/s
Va = 332

+ 0.6(27) = 348.2 m/s

Lr
Vr = Va ( )
La
91.5

= 348.2( 9.3 )
= 3425.84 m/s (from eq. 3)
3425.843475

% error = |

9.11010

| 100 = 1.41%

3475

= =

8700

= 3390.32 m/s (from eq. 4)

3390.223475

Figure 5. Length of the segment

% error = |

3475

| 100 = 2.44 %

GRAPH

CONCLUSION
The two objectives of this experiment was attained
which is to determine the velocity of sound precisely
in a metal rod and to distinguish the behavior of
sound waves and its motion. It is accomplished by
performing the experiment through the given
instructions by our professors and by the laboratory
manual that is provided.

Velocity of sound Vs.

Wavelength
Velocity of air

WAVELENGTH (M)

98
96

95.96
94.54

94

93.16

92

91.82
90.51

90
88

We also are able to discuss the relationship of the

velocity of sound and the wave length and by the
graph that I prepared, I observed that as the
wavelength increased, the velocity of sound
decreases.

86

Graph 1. The relationship between the wavelength

and the velocity of sound.

By performing this experiment, I therefore conclude

that the velocity is directly proportional to the
frequency times the wave length. It is also directly
proportional to the youngs modulus and inversely
proportional to the given density of a material.

ANALYSIS OF DATA

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

Based on our gathered data, we observed that we

encountered less percentage errors. Since the kundts
tube is the main apparatus that is designed for this
type of experiment, the results that are taken are more
precise. Also, everything is already setup inside the
tube, all we have to do is to stroke the metal using
the rod with rosin in it. As I said earlier, the powder
inside the tube must be enough to produce waves.
Unlike on our groups tube, we are lack in powder so
we have to borrow other group mates kundts tube.
On the other hand, by using the second equation on
determining the velocity of the sound in a solid we
also had a small percentage error it is because we
didnt use any of our gathered data to compute it for
the density and youngs modulus of a metal is
constant.

I would like to thank everyone for making this

experiment possible. First, to our professor Mr.
Ricardo De Leon for explaining the process of this
experiment and for suggesting best kundts tube in
our class for us to be able to borrow it. To my
groupmates Ferdinand Almoite, Liam Domingo,
Jonen Ibaez, Joshua Marias, and Rodrigo Patches,
thank you for the cooperation and for taking such an
effort for this experiment especially to Rodrigo for
the demo, we enjoyed that part and Jonen for helping
me in organizing the data that we gathered and for
the computations. I would also like to thank the lab
assistant for assisting and for proving us the materials
that we need. Lastly, I would like to thank the third
group for their kindness for letting us borrow their
kundts tube. Thank you so much !

Using the first equation is more reasonable for me

since it is determined using the gathered data by
performing our experiment unlike in the second
equation because the main goal of this experiment is
to determine the velocity of sound in solid
experimentally.

REFERENCES

332

337
342
VELOCITY (M/S)

347

352

[1] Halliday, F., Fundamentals Of Physics, 9th

Edition, 2011
[2] Kinsler, F., The Quantification of Sound and the
Wave Equation, pg 99-111