Physics › Section L · Sound and hearing › Topic L.1
Sound and the speed of sound
Every sound you hear is a pressure ripple racing through the air at a few hundred metres per second. This topic explains what that ripple is, what sets its speed, and why the speed changes with the medium and the temperature but not with the pitch.
In this topic
- Sound is a pressure wave
- Frequency, pitch and wavelength
- What sets the speed: stiffness against density
- Temperature and sound in air
- Worked example: a note on a frosty morning
- Crossing into a new medium
- Speed does not depend on pitch
- Worked example: timing a thunderstorm
- Worked example: an echo from a cliff
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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