How to use it
- Enter the frequency in hertz.
- Enter the tube radius in meters.
- Click Calculate to see the length in centimeters.
What it does – The Sono Tube Calculator takes the frequency you want to produce and the inner radius of an open tube, then returns the required tube length in centimeters. It uses the physical constants of sound speed (343 m/s at ~20 °C) and the standard end‑correction (0.6 × radius) so the answer matches real‑world acoustics. Why it matters – Knowing the exact length lets you cut or tune a resonance tube for musical instruments, lab experiments, or DIY speakers without trial‑and‑error. How to read it – The result is the total length you should measure from the closed end to the open mouth, already including the end correction, expressed in cm. Example: for 440 Hz and a 0.015 m radius, the calculator shows about 39 cm. Use that number to cut or adjust your tube.
Pro tips
- Add a few millimeters for material waste before cutting.
- Round the length to the nearest whole centimeter for easier measurement.
- Measure the tube’s inner radius, not the outer, for accurate results.
- Keep the frequency in hertz; converting from other units will give wrong lengths.
Real-life examples
- Designing a tuning fork resonator for a school physics demo.
- Cutting a PVC pipe to match the resonant frequency of a homemade speaker.
- Sizing an organ pipe for a custom musical instrument project.
Case study
Emily needed a 500 Hz resonator for her DIY speaker. Using the calculator with a 0.02 m radius, she got 31 cm and cut the pipe to that length, eliminating weeks of trial‑and‑error.