A time-of-flight method to measure the speed of sound using a stereo sound card

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2008

Authors

Carvalho, CC (Author) Other; Lopes dos Santos, JMBL (Author) FCUP; Marques, MB (Author) Other

Journal

Title: PHYSICS TEACHER

Vol. 46

Pages: 428-431

ISSN: 0031-921X

Publisher: American Institute of Physics

Indexing

Scopus - 15 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00H-XMX

DOI: 10.1119/1.2981293

Abstract (EN): Most homes in developed countries have a sophisticated data acquisition board, namely the PC sound board. Designed to be able to reproduce CD-quality stereo sound, it must have a sampling rate of at least 44 kHz and have very accurate timing between the two stereo channels. With a very simple adaptation of a pair of regular PC microphones, a computer with a stereo sound board, and sound analysis software, we were able to implement a method of accurate measurement of the speed of sound with several attractive features: a) The most expensive equipment, the PC, the sound board, and sound analysis software, are available in many homes and almost all schools; the two microphones and the additional electronics (see below) can be acquired for less than $50. b) The concept of the experiment is sufficiently simple to be grasped by very young students, 13-14 years old. c) The experiment itself is so straightforward that in a recent Open Day at our department, every group of students passing through the experiment was able to complete, in a couple of minutes, several measurements of cs, the speed of sound in air. d) It is possible to use the same apparatus to measure the speed of sound in solids. © 2008 American Association of Physics Teachers.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific