Description

This volume is concerned with the theory and practice of experiments designed to measure the speed and absorption of sound in fluids. The results of such experiments are of interest to the researcher primarily for the understanding they provide about the macroscopic and microscopic properties of the fluids in question. In recent years, accurate measurements of the speed of sound in both gases and liquids have been made for the purposes of determining fundamental physical quantities and thermodynamic properties of fluids. Measurements of sound absorption have also contributed significantly to the microscopic and macroscopic physics of fluids. The theoretical and experimental scientific techniques behind these experiments are the focus of this book. Topics discussed include the generation and detection of sound, the basic acoustic theory, the processes that influence the absorption of sound and the main experimental methods. Steady-state and transient methods are described separately and both are illustrated with examples.