If you clap on one end of a long steel pipe you will hear two distinct sounds on the other end of the pipe. Explain.

Open in App

Solution

The speed of sound in any medium is given by Sir Newton as ,
$v = \sqrt{E / ρ}$
where E= coefficient of elasticity of medium ,
ρ= density of medium ,
as solids are most elastic and gases are least elastic i.e. $E_{s} > E_{l} > E_{g}$ ,
therefore speed of sound in solids is maximum and in gases is minimum i.e. $v_{s} > v_{l} > v_{g}$ .
Here we have two media for the sound to travel and in these two media sound has different speed , as steel is a solid, sound travels faster through steel than through air , so sound through steel reaches before through air and we hear two sounds of clap on the other end .

Suggest Corrections

Similar questions

Q. A person places his ear at the end of a long steel pipe. He hears two distinct sounds at an interval of 0.5 s when another person hammers at the other end of the pipe. If the speed of the sound in metal and air are 3630 m

s^{- 1}

and 330 m

s^{- 1}

respectively, then the distance between the two persons is

Q. When a long hollow cylindrical iron pipe is struck at one end, then at the other end of the pipe :

When you pluck the string at one end clamped at both ends, you hear a loud sound.

You have 2 pipes of length 1.20 m. One pipe is open, other has one end closed. First overtone is formed in both the pipes. Find the position of 1^st displacement node from origin

A pipe 20 cm long is closed at one end. Which harmonic mode of the pipe is resonantly excited by a 430 Hz source? Will the same source be in resonance with the pipe if both ends are open? (Speed of sound in air is 340 m s^–1).

Join BYJU'S Learning Program