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 (19.6oC) | 1173 |
Acetone (25oC) | 1170 |
Alcohol, ethyl (ethanol) (25oC) | 1144 |
Alcohol, methyl (25oC) | 1103 |
Alcohol, propyl | 1205 |
Aniline (25oC) | 1640 |
Argon (-243oC) | 840 |
Benzene (25oC) | 1298 |
Bromobenzene (20oC) | 1169 |
Bismuth (280oC) | 1651 |
Butane (-0.5oC) | 1038 |
1-Butanol (20oC) | 1262 |
Caesium (40oC) | 980 |
Carbon bisulfide | 1160 |
Carbon disulfide (25oC) | 1242 |
Carbon tetrachloride (Tetrachloromethane) (25oC) | 930 |
Castor oil | 1474 |
Chloroform (25oC) | 984 |
Chlorobenzene (25oC) | 1270 |
Cyclohexane (20oC) | 1280 |
Cyclohexanol (25oC) | 1465 |
1-Decene (20oC) | 1250 |
Diethyl-ether (25oC) | 951 |
Ethane (-88.6oC) | 1316 |
Ethanol (20oC) | 1159 |
Ether | 985 |
Ethylene (-103.8oC) | 1307 |
Ethylene glycol (25oC) | 1660 |
Fluorbenzene (20oC) | 1183 |
Glycerine | 1920 |
Glycerol (glycerine) (25oC) | 1920 |
Helium (-269oC) | 180 |
Heptane | 1138 |
Hexane | 1203 |
n-Hexanol (25oC) | 1303 |
Hydrogen (-255oC) | 1246 |
Indium (160oC) | 2313 |
Iodobenzne (20oC) | 1114 |
Kerosene | 1324 |
Lead (340oC) | 1766 |
Mercury (25oC) | 1450 |
Methane (-170oC) | 1420 |
Methanol (20oC) | 1116 |
Napthalene (100oC) | 1248 |
Neon (-243oC) | 540 |
Nitrobenzene (25oC) | 1463 |
Nitrogen (-195.8oC) | 851 |
Octane | 1171 |
Oil (castor) (25oC) | 1490 |
Oil (lubricating) (25oC) | 1461 |
Oxygen (-202oC) | 1056 |
Pentane (20oC) | 1036 |
Petroleum | 1330 |
Potassium (80oC) | 1869 |
n-Pentanol (25oC) | 1277 |
Phenol | 1274 |
Propane (-42.1oC) | 1161 |
n-Propanol (25oC) | 1207 |
Pyridine (25oC) | 1417 |
Rubidium (50oC) | 1247 |
Sodium (110oC) | 2520 |
Tin (240oC) | 2471 |
Toluene (25oC) | 1306 |
Turpentine | 1240 |
Water | 1493 |
Water, 0oC | 1402 |
Water, 20oC | 1482 |
Water, sea with 3.5% salinity | 1533 |
Water, sea with 3.5% salinity, 20oC | 1522 |
Zinc (450oC) | 2780 |
1) Based on temperature 25oC
- 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 |
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