Speed of Sound in Various Media
Calculate the speed of sound in air, fresh water, sea water, steel, and concrete based on temperature.
Results
What is it?
The speed of sound depends on the medium and temperature. In air, it follows v = 331.3 * sqrt(1 + T/273.15) m/s, giving about 343 m/s at 20 degrees C. In liquids and solids, sound travels much faster because the particles are more tightly packed ? steel transmits sound roughly 17 times faster than air.
How to use
Enter the ambient temperature and see the speed of sound across all common media simultaneously. This is useful for calculating time-of-flight delays, designing acoustic systems, or understanding sonar and ultrasound.
Example scenario
At 20 degrees C: air is approximately 343 m/s, fresh water approximately 1,481 m/s, sea water approximately 1,500 m/s, steel approximately 5,960 m/s. A lightning bolt 1 km away: sound arrives in 1,000 divided by 343 which is approximately 2.9 seconds.
Pro tip
Mach 1 is defined relative to the local speed of sound in air. At sea level and 15 degrees C, Mach 1 is approximately 340 m/s (1,224 km/h). At high altitude where air is colder (-57 degrees C at 35,000 ft), Mach 1 is approximately 295 m/s. For sonar, sea water temperature and salinity both affect sound speed significantly.