In feet per second, what is the speed of sound in air at 32 degrees Fahrenheit?

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Study for the Information Systems Technician Second Class (IT2) Advancement Exam with our extensive set of flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question is accompanied by hints and thorough explanations. Enhance your knowledge and prepare for success!

Multiple Choice

In feet per second, what is the speed of sound in air at 32 degrees Fahrenheit?

Explanation:
The speed of sound in air depends on temperature: as air gets colder, molecules move more slowly and sound travels more slowly; warmer air lets sound propagate faster. For air, the speed can be estimated with a = sqrt(gamma * R * T), where gamma is about 1.4 for dry air, R is 287 J/(kg·K), and T is the absolute temperature in kelvin. At 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the air is at 0 degrees Celsius, which is 273.15 K. Plugging in the values gives a ≈ sqrt(1.4 * 287 * 273.15) ≈ 331 m/s. Converting to feet per second (1 m/s ≈ 3.281 ft/s) yields about 1087 ft/s. So the speed of sound in air at 32 °F is around 1087 ft/s. For context, at typical room temperature (about 20 °C) it’s about 343 m/s (roughly 1125 ft/s), illustrating how temperature shifts the speed.

The speed of sound in air depends on temperature: as air gets colder, molecules move more slowly and sound travels more slowly; warmer air lets sound propagate faster. For air, the speed can be estimated with a = sqrt(gamma * R * T), where gamma is about 1.4 for dry air, R is 287 J/(kg·K), and T is the absolute temperature in kelvin.

At 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the air is at 0 degrees Celsius, which is 273.15 K. Plugging in the values gives a ≈ sqrt(1.4 * 287 * 273.15) ≈ 331 m/s. Converting to feet per second (1 m/s ≈ 3.281 ft/s) yields about 1087 ft/s. So the speed of sound in air at 32 °F is around 1087 ft/s.

For context, at typical room temperature (about 20 °C) it’s about 343 m/s (roughly 1125 ft/s), illustrating how temperature shifts the speed.

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