Speed of Sound Calculator
Sound moves through air at a speed that depends mainly on temperature. Warmer air carries sound faster. This page gives the speed for dry air at the temperature you enter.
- Free
- Works offline after your first visit
- Saves on this device
- No sign-up
- Updated
How it works
The formula starts from about 331.3 metres per second at 0 degrees Celsius, then scales that by the square root of one plus the temperature divided by 273.15.
Humidity has a small effect, and air pressure barely matters at normal altitudes. Those effects are left out here.
Worked example
At 68 °F, sound travels through dry air at about 767.749 mph.
Questions
Why does sound travel faster in warm air?
Warm air molecules move faster and pass vibrations along more quickly. Cold air does the opposite.
Does sound travel at the same speed in water?
No. Sound moves much faster in water and in solids. This page covers air only.
Can I use this to estimate distance?
The speed helps with rough timing, such as judging how far away an echo's wall is from the time the echo takes to return.
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