Measuring the velocity of sound by air column

Aim
To measure the velocity of a sound wave by freezing it in a stationary wave using
a tuning fork and an air column. The wavelength can be calculated and used in the
equation v=f to find the velocity.

Apparatus
Large measuring cylinder
Glass tube
4 tuning forks
Metre rule

Diagram

Tuning fork
Glass tube

Measuring cylinder

Risk assessment
Sources of error for this experiment may consist of mistaking overtones as
resonance and therefore including overtones in the data. Another source of error
could include missing points of resonance and therefore not including resonance
points into the data. Furthermore, the length of the air column could have been
incorrectly interpreted when holding the tuning fork above the air column and
adjusting the length of the air column.
There were two different people striking the metallic ball hence creating different
vibrations. When measuring the length of L, the measurements could have been
slightly or very off resulting in incorrect readings.

Method
Place the glass tube in the measuring cylinder, filled with water almost to the
top.
Hold the vibrating tuning fork above the glass tube.
Move the tube up and down until you find the shortest length of air column
that produces a loud sound.
Measure length l. Note the frequency of the tuning fork.
Repeat this for tuning forks of several different frequencies.
You will find the fundamental resonance length for the different frequencies.
This is equal to of a wavelength.
Construct an appropriate table to collect your data and present it in the form
of a graph.

Variables
Independent: The time taken for the sound waves emitted from the tuning
fork to complete 1 oscillation.
Dependent: Height of the air column needed to achieve the maximum
amplitude of the wave.

Controlled:
1. F r e q u e n c y o f t h e t u n i n g f o r .
2. W a v e l e n g t h o f t h e s o u n d w a v e .

3. Level of wat er i n t he pl asti c barrel

4. Distance of the vibrating tuning fork above the edge of the
glass tube.

Raw table
Freq (Hz)

L1 (m)

L2 (m)

L3 (m)

Mean (m)

Uncertianty +/-m

384.0

0.210

0.210

0.220

0.213

0.005

426.6

0.200

0.190

0.200

0.197

0.005

480.0

0.170

0.180

0.180

0.177

0.005

512.0

0.170

0.170

0.160

0.167

0.005

The table shows the frequency of the different tuning forks and the length of air
needed for maximum resonance. The error on the length was estimated to 0.005 m
as we repeated each experiment several times.

Processed data
Freq (Hz)

1/

Velocity

Uncertainty for velocity (m)

384.0

0.852

1.17

327

426.6

0.788

1.27

336

480.0

0.708

1.41

340

10

512.0

0.668

1.50

342

10

Mean velocity= 336.25 +/- 9m

Conclusion
It has been shown that by knowing the frequency of a tuning fork and
the position of water at resonance points, the speed of sound can be
determined. The speed of sound for the tuning forks at the frequencies
of 384 Hz, 426.6 Hz, 480 Hz and 512 Hz were determined to be 327 m/s,
336 m/s, 340 m/s and 342 m/s.
So that means