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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.

Liquids - Speed of Sound
LiquidSpeed 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

Seawater - velocity of sound vs. temperature chart

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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