A sound wave in air travels a distance of 220 m in a time of 0.70 s - Edexcel - GCSE Physics Combined Science - Question 2 - 2018 - Paper 1

To calculate the speed of the sound wave in air, substitute the given values into the equation:

ext{speed} = rac{220 ext{ m}}{0.70 ext{ s}}

Carrying out the calculation gives:

$ext{speed} = 314.29 ext{ m/s}$

Therefore, the speed of the sound wave in air is approximately 310 m/s.

To improve the student's method of measuring the wavelength, the following suggestions can be made:

1. Multiple Measurements: Instead of measuring the distance between just one crest to the next, the student should measure multiple wavelengths and take the average. This will reduce the impact of any measurement errors.

2. Use a Longer Ruler: A longer ruler or measuring tape should be used to ensure more accurate measurements over longer distances, making it easier to see the crests clearly.

3. Alignment: Ensure that the ruler is perfectly aligned with the wave crests to avoid parallax errors.

4. Minimum Distances: The student should measure the distance over at least five or more wavelengths to get an average for improved accuracy.