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Sound Velocity of material |
The speed of sound in any medium is dependent upon the coefficient of stiffness (modulus of bulk elasticity for gas mediums). Density and/or compressibility alone does not determine the speed of sound.
- Vl = Velocity of plane longitudinal wave in bulk material.
- Vs = Velocity of plane transverse (shear) wave.
- Vext = Velocity of longitudinal wave (extensional wave) in thin rods.
Solids
|
||||
Substance
|
Density
(g/cm3) |
Vl
(m/s) |
Vs
(m/s) |
Vext
(m/s) |
Metals
|
||||
Aluminum, rolled
|
2.7
|
6420
|
3040
|
5000
|
Berylium
|
1.87
|
12890
|
8880
|
12870
|
Brass (70 Cu, 30 Zn)
|
8.6
|
4700
|
2110
|
3480
|
Copper, annealed
|
8.93
|
4760
|
2325
|
3810
|
Copper, rolled
|
8.93
|
5010
|
2270
|
3750
|
Gold, hard-drawn
|
19.7
|
3240
|
1200
|
2030
|
Iron, Armco
|
7.85
|
5960
|
3240
|
5200
|
Lead, annealed
|
11.4
|
2160
|
700
|
1190
|
Lead, rolled
|
11.4
|
1960
|
690
|
1210
|
Molybdenum
|
10.1
|
6250
|
3350
|
5400
|
Monel metal
|
8.90
|
5350
|
2720
|
4400
|
Nickel (unmagnetized)
|
8.85
|
5480
|
2990
|
4800
|
Nickel
|
8.9
|
6040
|
3000
|
4900
|
Platinum
|
21.4
|
3260
|
1730
|
2800
|
Silver
|
10.4
|
3650
|
1610
|
2680
|
Steel, mild
|
7.85
|
5960
|
3235
|
5200
|
Steel, 347 Stainless
|
7.9
|
5790
|
3100
|
5000
|
Tin, rolled
|
7.3
|
3320
|
1670
|
2730
|
Titaninum
|
4.5
|
6070
|
3125
|
5080
|
Tungsten, annealed
|
19.3
|
5220
|
2890
|
4620
|
Tungsten Carbide
|
13.8
|
6655
|
3980
|
6220
|
Zinc, rolled
|
7.1
|
4210
|
2440
|
3850
|
Various
|
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Fused silica
|
2.2
|
5968
|
3764
|
5760
|
Glass, pyrex
|
2.32
|
5640
|
3280
|
5170
|
Glass, heavy silicate flint
|
3.88
|
3980
|
2380
|
3720
|
Lucite
|
1.18
|
2680
|
1100
|
1840
|
Nylon 6-6
|
1.11
|
2620
|
1070
|
1800
|
Polyethylene
|
0.90
|
1950
|
540
|
920
|
Polystyrene
|
1.06
|
2350
|
1120
|
2240
|
Rubber, butyl
|
1.07
|
1830
|
||
Rubber, gum
|
0.95
|
1550
|
||
Rubber neoprene
|
1.33
|
1600
|
||
Brick
|
1.8
|
3650
|
||
Clay rock
|
2.2
|
3480
|
||
Cork
|
0.25
|
500
|
||
Marble
|
2.6
|
3810
|
||
Paraffin
|
0.9
|
1300
|
||
Tallow
|
390
|
|||
Woods
|
||||
Ash, along the fiber
|
4670
|
|||
Beech, along the fiber
|
3340
|
|||
Elm, along the fiber
|
4120
|
|||
Maple, along the fiber
|
4110
|
|||
Oak, along the fiber
|
3850
|
|||
Human Body Tissues
|
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Soft Tissue
|
Liquids
|
||||
Substance
|
Formula
|
Density
(g/cm3) |
Velocity
at 25°C
(m/s) |
-δv/δt
(m/sec °C) |
Acetone
|
C3H60
|
0.79
|
1174
|
4.5
|
Benzene
|
C6H6
|
0.870
|
1295
|
4.65
|
Carbon tetrachloride
|
CCl4
|
1.595
|
926
|
2.7
|
Castor oil
|
C11H10O10
|
0.969
|
1477
|
3.6
|
Chloroform
|
CHCl3
|
1.49
|
987
|
3.4
|
Ethanol amide
|
C2H7NO
|
1.018
|
1724
|
3.4
|
Ethyl ether
|
C4H10O
|
0.713
|
985
|
4.87
|
Ethylene glycol
|
C2H6O2
|
1.113
|
1658
|
2.1
|
Glycerol
|
C3H8O3
|
1.26
|
1904
|
2.2
|
Kerosene
|
0.81
|
1324
|
3.6
|
|
Mercury
|
Hg
|
13.5
|
1450
|
|
Methanol
|
CH4O
|
0.791
|
1103
|
3.2
|
Turpentine
|
0.88
|
1255
|
||
Water (distilled)
|
H2O
|
0.998
|
1496.7
|
-2.4
|