Sound Speed of Various Materials at 60°F (15.5°C) and 1 atm Material a, ft/s a, m/s Gases: На 4,246 3,281 1,117 1,294 1,000 Не Air 340 Ar 1,040 317 CO, CH, 23UFS 873 266 607 185 297 91 Liquids: Glycerin Water 6,100 4,890 4,760 1,860 1,490 1,450 Mercury Ethyl alcohol 3,940 1,200 Solids:* Aluminum 16,900 16,600 13,200 5,150 5,060 4,020 3,200 Steel Hickory Ice 10,500
Kinetic Theory of Gas
The Kinetic Theory of gases is a classical model of gases, according to which gases are composed of molecules/particles that are in random motion. While undergoing this random motion, kinetic energy in molecules can assume random velocity across all directions. It also says that the constituent particles/molecules undergo elastic collision, which means that the total kinetic energy remains constant before and after the collision. The average kinetic energy of the particles also determines the pressure of the gas.
P-V Diagram
A P-V diagram is a very important tool of the branch of physics known as thermodynamics, which is used to analyze the working and hence the efficiency of thermodynamic engines. As the name suggests, it is used to measure the changes in pressure (P) and volume (V) corresponding to the thermodynamic system under study. The P-V diagram is used as an indicator diagram to control the given thermodynamic system.
Notice from Table that (a) water and mercury and
(b) aluminum and steel have nearly the same speeds of
sound, yet the second of each pair of materials is much
denser. Can you account for this oddity? Can molecular
theory explain it?
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