Obviously, on the Red Planet, high-frequency waves (treble) travel faster than low-frequency waves (bass) —that is, if we could live there without special costumes, we could make the loudest sound the quietest. I will listen before This is because the speed of sound can change depending on the density and temperature of the medium through which it passes. Thus, the denser the medium, the faster the sound will cross. The density of the Earth’s atmosphere is about 1.2 kg / m. In it, sound travels at about 343 meters per second at 20 ° C, 1,480 meters per second in water and 5,100 meters per second in steel. The atmosphere of Mars is much less dense, about 0.020 kg / m. By itself, this fact would have already spread the sound differently on the two planets. But there are other factors that can affect the speed of sound waves on Mars. Among them is the warming of the planetary boundary layer – a zone of atmospheres just above the surface, which creates transductive upward currents creating strong turbulence.
How was the speed of sound measured on Mars?
Measuring the speed of sound on Mars was only possible thanks to NASA’s Perseverance rover instruments: a microphone installed at Supercam and a laser that could make a perfectly timed noise. Supercam Jeep Robot is Head Of Perseverance Image: NASA To calculate the sound propagation to the neighboring planet, the scientists measured the time between the laser firing and the moment the sound reached the microphone, at a height of 2.1 meters. The results show that it spreads close to the surface at a speed of about 240 meters per second. The scientists also explain that the unique properties of carbon dioxide molecules at low pressures on Mars cause a change in the speed of sound, right in the middle of the bandwidth heard by humans. At frequencies above 240 Hz, the vibration function activated by the collision of carbon dioxide molecules does not have enough time to relax or return to its original state, resulting in sound at frequencies higher than 10 meters per second on lower routes with higher speed. This is what scientists call a “unique listening experience” on Mars: higher-pitched sounds reach the listener earlier than the lower ones. The team also used the Supercam sensor to measure large and rapid temperature changes on the planet’s surface, as temperature fluctuations also change the speed of sound. This data could help scientists better understand our red neighbor.
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