Liquids - Speed of Sound
Speed of sound in common fluids like water, glycerol, kerosene and more.
The speed of sound in some common liquids are indicated in the table below.
Speed of sound in air at standard conditions is 343 m/s.
| Liquid | Speed of Sound1) (m/s) |
|---|---|
| Acetic acid (19.6 oC) | 1173 |
| Acetone (25 oC) | 1170 |
| Alcohol, ethyl (ethanol) (25 oC) | 1144 |
| Alcohol, methyl (25 oC) | 1103 |
| Alcohol, propyl | 1205 |
| Aniline (25 oC) | 1640 |
| Argon (-243 oC) | 840 |
| Benzene (25 oC) | 1298 |
| Bromobenzene (20 oC) | 1169 |
| Bismuth (280 oC) | 1651 |
| Butane (-0.5 oC) | 1038 |
| 1-Butanol (20 oC) | 1262 |
| Caesium (40 oC) | 980 |
| Carbon bisulfide | 1160 |
| Carbon disulfide (25 oC) | 1242 |
| Carbon tetrachloride (Tetrachloromethane) (25 oC) | 930 |
| Castor oil | 1474 |
| Chloroform (25 oC) | 984 |
| Chlorobenzene (25 oC) | 1270 |
| Cyclohexane (20 oC) | 1280 |
| Cyclohexanol (25 oC) | 1465 |
| 1-Decene (20 oC) | 1250 |
| Diethyl-ether (25 oC) | 951 |
| Ethane (-88.6 oC) | 1316 |
| Ethanol (20 oC) | 1159 |
| Ether | 985 |
| Ethylene (-103.8 oC) | 1307 |
| Ethylene glycol (25 oC) | 1660 |
| Fluorbenzene (20 oC) | 1183 |
| Glycerine | 1920 |
| Glycerol (glycerine) (25 oC) | 1920 |
| Helium (-269 oC) | 180 |
| Heptane | 1138 |
| Hexane | 1203 |
| n-Hexanol (25 oC) | 1303 |
| Hydrogen (-255 oC) | 1246 |
| Indium (160 oC) | 2313 |
| Iodobenzne (20 oC) | 1114 |
| Kerosene | 1324 |
| Lead (340 oC) | 1766 |
| Mercury (25 oC) | 1450 |
| Methane (-170 oC) | 1420 |
| Methanol (20 oC) | 1116 |
| Napthalene (100 oC) | 1248 |
| Neon (-243 oC) | 540 |
| Nitrobenzene (25 oC) | 1463 |
| Nitrogen (-195.8 oC) | 851 |
| Octane | 1171 |
| Oil (castor) (25 oC) | 1490 |
| Oil (lubricating) (25 oC) | 1461 |
| Oxygen (-202 oC) | 1056 |
| Pentane (20 oC) | 1036 |
| Petroleum | 1330 |
| Potassium (80 oC) | 1869 |
| n-Pentanol (25 oC) | 1277 |
| Phenol | 1274 |
| Propane (-42.1 oC) | 1161 |
| n-Propanol (25 oC) | 1207 |
| Pyridine (25 oC) | 1417 |
| Rubidium (50 oC) | 1247 |
| Sodium (110 oC) | 2520 |
| Tin (240 oC) | 2471 |
| Toluene (25 oC) | 1306 |
| Turpentine | 1240 |
| Water | 1493 |
| Water, 0 oC | 1402 |
| Water, 20 oC | 1482 |
| Water, sea with 3.5% salinity | 1533 |
| Water, sea with 3.5% salinity, 20 oC | 1522 |
| Zinc (450 oC) | 2780 |
1) Based on temperature 25 oC
- 1 m/s = 3.6 km/h = 196.85 ft/min = 3.28 ft/s = 2.237 mph
Note that speed is a scalar quantity. Velocity is vector quantity with direction.
Speed of Sound in Seawater
| Temperature (°C) |
0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 30 |
| Speed of Sound (m/s) |
1449 | 1471 | 1490 | 1507 | 1522 | 1534 | 1546 |
