Tagged Questions

9
votes
2answers
378 views

Whistle Physics

I'm looking for a simple explanation of how a whistle operates. I know that forcing air over a sharp lip can set up a wave in a resonating cavity, but how? "Most whistles operate due to a feedback ...
19
votes
3answers
389 views

How much information about the scale of a waterfall can be obtained from its sound?

Is it possible to constrain the height, volume flow, or distance of a waterfall from the quantitative analysis of a high-quality recording of its sound? As an aside, the simulated sounds of fluid ...
3
votes
2answers
133 views

How to relate speed of sound with relative humidity?

I am exploring the idea of measuring the humidity of a space using sound waves, however I am having trouble finding a mathematical relationship between the speed of sound and the humidity level. ...
11
votes
1answer
360 views

Why does my natural whistle have a maximum volume

When I whistle, I find that I can vary the volume by pushing more or less air through my mouth at once. However, when I increase volume past a point, I start to hear a blend of rushing air and a ...
12
votes
1answer
4k views

Did Felix Baumgartner produce a sonic boom during his jump?

I really got to thinking about this. The speed of sound is measured at 761.2 MPH at sea level. But how does this number change as air density decreases? The lack of air density is what allowed his ...
7
votes
1answer
554 views

Why and how is sound produced when two objects hit each other?

When two objects collide and undergo a partially inelastic collision (so every one we experience in every-day life), they rebound to a certain degree, but kinetic energy is not conserved. Thus, the ...
2
votes
0answers
66 views

The sound of coffee [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Why does the sound pitch increase on every consecutive tick at the bottom of a filled cup of coffee? A colleague suggested this experiment this morning : Get a cup of ...
5
votes
1answer
189 views

What is the roaring in a roaring fire?

I was just starting a barbecue fire by blowing on the smouldering coals when I realised I had no idea what the sound was actually caused by. I can make the sound by blowing at almost any flame I can ...
1
vote
1answer
255 views

Sound waves through a glass filled with liquid

I was pondering about the following 'experiment', and was curious about the formulae behind it. Imagine having a glass filled with a liquid. On one side there is a sensitive receiver that records ...
6
votes
1answer
2k views

How does one derive the equation for the speed of sound?

In my acoustics books I see $$c^2 = \frac{\mathrm{d}P}{\mathrm{d}\rho}$$ where $c$ is the speed of sound, $P$ is the pressure and $\rho$ is the density. Where does this equation come from? In my ...
16
votes
3answers
1k views

Why does the sound pitch increase on every consecutive tick at the bottom of a filled cup of coffee?

Since I don't know the proper physical terms for this, I describe it in everyday English. The following has kept me wondering for quite some time and so far I haven't found a reasonable explanation. ...
16
votes
4answers
371 views

Why does the fundamental mode of a recorder disappear when you blow harder?

I have a simple recorder, like this: When I cover all the holes and blow gently, it blows at about 550 Hz, but when I blow more forcefully, it jumps an octave and blows 1100 Hz. What's the ...
4
votes
2answers
353 views

When water is about to boil

Have ever noticed? When water is about to boil, no matters the kettle, there is some sound I have no idea where it comes from, sometimes long before it boils. Is there any explanation for this ...
4
votes
5answers
779 views

Is it possible for wind to break the sound barrier?

I understand that in nature wind would never get high enough, but I am just curious as to whether physics would allow this to occur or not.
1
vote
2answers
352 views

Speed of sound in astrophysics

Why is the speed of sound given so much importance in Astrophysics? For example in gas outflow (and accretion) problems, we often calculate the sonic point (the point at which the outflow speed ...
5
votes
2answers
755 views

How to compute the speed of sound in relativistic hydrodynamic?

In Weinberg: Gravitation and Cosmology chapter 2.10 (Relativistic Hydrodynamics) the speed of sound is derived as $v_s^2 = \left(\frac{\partial p}{\partial \rho}\right)$ and the equation of state ...
2
votes
2answers
391 views

Potential functions

Can someone please explain what a potential is? Example. velocity potential in ideal flows, acoustic potential (gradient of which gives the particle velocity in a sound wave). Whenever I see potential ...
5
votes
5answers
851 views

Is it possible to accelerate air to supersonic speeds? What would it look like?

The speed of sound is the rate that disturbances in air propagate through it. Is it possible to have a wind that itself is moving at supersonic speeds relative to stationary winds around it? Or ...
10
votes
4answers
971 views

How does a steady wind flow generate sound?

When a wind blow through sharp edge, say, edge of a paper, you can see the vibration of the paper and hear the sound. For this type of oscillation, it should be a damped oscillation with external ...