Enter the adiabatic constant, absolute temperature, and the molecular mass into the calculator to determine the sonic velocity.

Sonic Velocity Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the Sonic Velocity.

Vs = SQRT( y*R*T / M)

  • Where Vs is the sonic velocity (m/s)
  • y is the adiabatic constant
  • R is the universal gas constant
  • T is the absolute temperature
  • M is the molecular mass of the gas

What is a Sonic Velocity?

Definition:

A sonic velocity describes the speed at which sound travels through a medium.

How to Calculate Sonic Velocity?

Example Problem:

The following example outlines the steps and information needed to calculate Sonic Velocity.

First, determine the adiabatic constant . In this example, the adiabatic constant is found to be 4.

Next, determine the absolute temperature. For this problem, the absolute temperature is found to be 200 K.

Next, determine the molecular mass of the gas. In this case, the molecular mass of the gas is measured to be 50 kg/mol.

Finally, calculate the Sonic Velocity using the formula above:

Vs = SQRT( y*R*T / M)

Vs = SQRT( 4*8.314*200 / 50)

Vs = 11.53 m/s