Liquids - Speed of Sound
Speed of sound in common fluids like water, glycerol, kerosene and more.
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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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