Substituting an Inexpensive Function Generator for the Pulsed Laser in the Experiment “Laser Measurement of the Speed of Sound in Gases”

• Mark G. Epstein ^[1] ; Matthew W. Laszlo ^[1] ; Stevn G. Mayer ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Portland

     University of Portland

     Estados Unidos

     
• Localización: Journal of chemical education, ISSN 0021-9584, Vol. 87, Nº 12 (December), 2010, págs. 1414-1415
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • We present an adaptation to an experiment previously published in this Journal. The experiment was designed to determine the heat capacity ratios of gases by measuring the speed of sound using a modified Kundt’s tube. The experiment yielded excellent results for all of the gases and gas mixtures measured. Although elegant in its simplicity, it made use of an expensive pulsed laser that is not a common piece of equipment at most liberal arts institutions. By replacing the laser with an inexpensive function generator and speaker, we found that our results were of comparable accuracy and precision.