sound waves

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Two blocks of wood, or other items that make a loud, sharp sound when struck together

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A stopwatch

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A friend to help with the experiment

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A tape measure:

1.

Find a large empty area, such as a field or large court.

2.

Choose two spots on opposite ends of the area where each person will stand.

3.

Measure the distance between the two spots using a tape measure. Alternatively, you can count off measured steps between the two spots.

4.

Have your friend take the blocks and stand at one spot, holding them up high.

5.

Take the stopwatch and stand at the other spot. Make sure you have a clear view of the blocks.

6.

Signal your friend to bang the two blocks together hard.

7.

Start the stopwatch as soon as you see the blocks hit each other.

8.

Press stop as soon as you hear the sound from the blocks.

9.

Calculate the speed of the sound by dividing the distance between you and your friend by the elapsed time. To get a more accurate measurement, repeat the above steps a few times and then take an average of the results