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Q. Assertion: The change in air pressure effects the speed of sound.
Reason: The speed of sound in gases is proportional to the square of pressure.

AIIMSAIIMS 2008

Solution:

The speed of sound in gaseous medium is given by
$v=\sqrt{\frac{\gamma p}{\rho}}$ ... (i)
At constant temperature
$p V=$ constant ... (ii)
If $V$ is the volume of one mole of a gas,
then density of gas $\rho=\frac{M}{V}$ or $V=\frac{M}{\rho}$
where $M$ is the molecular weight of the gas.
$\therefore $ Eq. (ii) becomes
$\frac{p M}{\rho}=$ constant
or $\underline{p}=$ constant as $M$ is a constant
Therefore, from Eq. (i), we have
$v=\text { constant } \times \sqrt{\gamma}$
Thus, change in air pressure does not affect the speed of sound.
Reason is clear from Eq. (i)