Fluid Mechanics

Q1: The speed of sound in an ideal gas varies as the

A temperature

B pressure

C density

D none of these

ANS:A - temperature

The speed of sound in an ideal gas varies with the temperature.

Explanation:

  1. Speed of Sound in Ideal Gas:
    • The speed of sound (ccc) in an ideal gas depends on the properties of the gas, particularly its temperature and the molecular composition.
    • In an ideal gas, the speed of sound is given by: c=γPρc = \sqrt{\gamma \frac{P}{\rho}}c=γρP​​ where:
      • γ\gammaγ is the adiabatic index or specific heat ratio (ratio of specific heats cp/cvc_p / c_vcp​/cv​),
      • PPP is the pressure of the gas,
      • ρ\rhoρ is the density of the gas.
  2. Temperature Dependency:
    • The speed of sound in an ideal gas is directly proportional to the square root of the temperature (TTT) of the gas: c∝Tc \propto \sqrt{T}c∝T​
    • As the temperature increases, the speed of sound increases because the kinetic energy of the gas molecules increases, leading to faster propagation of sound waves through the medium.
  3. Pressure and Density:
    • While pressure and density affect the speed of sound indirectly through their influence on temperature (via the ideal gas law), they do not directly determine the speed of sound independently of temperature.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the speed of sound in an ideal gas varies directly with the temperature of the gas. Temperature is the primary factor that affects the speed at which sound waves propagate through the gas medium.



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