Speed of sound

Air is part of your sound system.

Sound travels faster through warm air. Humidity also has a smaller effect. This simplified linear relation gives a quick planning estimate for timing and wavelength.

The formula

• $T$ — air temperature in $^\circ\text{C}$
• $\mathit{RH}$ — relative humidity in percent
• $c$ — approximate sound speed in $\text{m/s}$

Worth knowing

A 10 C increase changes the dry-air sound speed by about 6 m/s. Over a long throw, that can be enough to revisit your delay settings.

Assumptions

The humidity correction is a rough, near-room-temperature approximation and becomes less accurate at extreme temperatures. Not suitable for precision atmospheric modeling; wind is not included.

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