If you clap on one end of a long steel pipe you will hear two distinct sounds on the other end of the pipe. Explain.
The speed of sound in any medium is given by Sir Newton as ,
v=√E/ρ
where E=E= coefficient of elasticity of medium ,
ρ=ρ= density of medium ,
as solids are most elastic and gases are least elastic i.e. Es>El>Eg ,
Es>El>Eg
therefore speed of sound in solids is maximum and in gases is minimum i.e. vs>vl>vg .
Here we have two media for the sound to travel and in these two media sound has different speed , as steel is a solid, sound travels faster through steel than through air , so sound through steel reaches before through air and we hear two sounds of clap on the other end .