Heath Consultants Aqua-Scop User Manual
Page 18

The Transmission Velocity of Sound in an extended solid is given by:
VELOCITY Longitudinal =
Where: EB = The Bulk Modulus (Rigidity) of the Solid
ES = The Shear Modulus (Resistance to Deformation) of the
Solid
ρ
= Density
In the case of a transverse wave in an extended solid, the Velocity is
determined by the Shear Modulus alone and is expressed as:
VELOCITY Transverse =
If we now divide the Longitudinal Velocity by the Transverse Velocity in
an extended solid, we note that:
Or that the Longitudinal Velocity always exceeds the Transverse
Velocity. This fact is used in Seismology to determine the point or origin
of earthquakes.
Since a fluid cannot sustain a shear (ES = O), no Transverse Wave can be
transmitted in a fluid and the Longitudinal Velocity is given by:
Where: EB is the Adiabatic Bulk Modulus.
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