title: Classroom measurements of sound speed in fresh/saline water.
abstract: A tabletop apparatus permitting demonstrations and hands-on student exercises in the measurement of sound speed in water as a function of both temperature and salinity, at atmospheric pressure, is described. By measuring sound speed using a differential technique with a precisely measured path length difference Δx, errors due to uncertainty in original path length are minimized. The apparatus can be used to measure sound speed in freshwater baths of varying temperature and room temperature baths of varying salinities to provide the student a clear picture of sound speed variation along two axes.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, U.S. Naval Academy, 572C Holloway Road, Annapolis, Maryland 21402, USA. carman@usna.edu
authors.forename: Jessie C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Carman