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

To calculate the speed of the sound wave, we will substitute the given values into the equation:

1. Using the formula: ext{speed} = rac{ ext{distance}}{ ext{time}}
2. Substitute the values: ext{speed} = rac{220 ext{ m}}{0.70 ext{ s}}
3. Calculate the speed: $$ext{speed} = 314.29 ext{ m/s}$$
4. Therefore, rounding off to three significant figures, the speed is approximately: 310 m/s.

To improve the method for measuring the wavelength, the student could:

• Use a longer ruler: A longer ruler would allow for more accurate measurements over greater distances between crests.
• Measure multiple wavelengths: Instead of measuring just one wavelength, measuring several crests would allow for averaging, thereby reducing the impact of any measurement error.
• Start from a marked position: Ensuring that the ruler's starting point is at a crest can help avoid parallax errors.
• Ensure straight alignment: Aligning the ruler as straight as possible with the direction of wave propagation ensures better accuracy in distance measurement.