In article
Post by spudnikthe speed of light depends upon the density of the medium,
viz the index of refraction, cf. the brachistochrone
(tautochrone) of Bernoulli and Liebniz,
the cannonical problem that defined "the" caclulus.
the speed of sound depends upon the density
of the medium; about 600mph at sea-level;
clearly, that is an upper bound on the speed of wind
at sea-level!
In the physics I UNDERSTAND as opposed to just hav read, the speed of
sound in most media is proportional to sqrt(E/density) one way or
another. Even in electromagnetism 1/(capacity per unit length) is a
measure of the elasticity of charge on capacitance while L is a measure
of inertia or mass per unit length)
For air the elasticity ie the proportional to the pressure while the
inertia is proportional to the density. But for air, density IS
PROPORTIONAL TO pressure. Thus the speed of sound is unaffected by
pressure over conditions ordinarily encountered.
The speed of sound in a gas will be determined primarily by temperature
because temperature affects density at constant pressure. There also is
a temperature factor arising from the gamma of the gas which is is the
ratio of specific heats.
Bill
--
An old man would be better off never having been born.