Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Rankine's Modification of Newton's Investigation of the Velocity of Sound in any Substance

Abstract

PROF. EVERETT's letter (November 8, p. 31) calls attention to a difficulty which is apparently felt by students over the attempted elementary method of deducing the general expression for the velocity of sound given in Maxwell's “Heat.” Advanced students need feel no difficulty of the kind, because they arrive at it by another path; but inasmuch as the Rankine method seems the easiest available to intermediate students, it is desirable as a matter of pedagogy to put it in its simplest form; and so I venture to quote here the plan I have for some time adopted.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

LODGE, O. Rankine's Modification of Newton's Investigation of the Velocity of Sound in any Substance. Nature 39, 79–80 (1888). https://doi.org/10.1038/039079b0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/039079b0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing