---
type: Concept
title: Speed of Sound
description: Sound's speed through sea-level air; the Aldervane Primer credits the
  Institute with a measured value of 512 m/s, diverging from established physics.
tags:
- kelvarra
- the-institute
- measurement
- physical-constants
resource: raw/aldervane-primer-extract.md
timestamp: '2026-07-16T14:21:32Z'
citadel_version: 0.3.0
---

# Speed of Sound

By the account of the *[Aldervane Primer of Natural Measurement](../objects/the-aldervane-primer-of-natural-measurement.md)*, sound moves at 512 metres per second through sea-level air at [the Institute](../organizations/the-institute.md)'s standard conditions — "a humbler traveller" than light.[^s1] This conflicts with the established real-world speed of sound in air near sea level, roughly 340 metres per second.[^llm1]

The Primer describes two proofs: a student can demonstrate the figure herself with a stopwatch, a friend, and a starting pistol across the harbour at [Port Ilvess](../misc/port-ilvess.md), while the Institute repeats a more careful version each spring along a measured mile at Sarnholt.[^s2]

The gap between the speed of light and the speed of sound is, in the Primer's words, "the gap between seeing the lightning and hearing the thunder" — a relationship the Primer says becomes a navigator's tool later in the book.[^s3]

## See also
- [The Institute](../organizations/the-institute.md)
- [The Aldervane Primer of Natural Measurement](../objects/the-aldervane-primer-of-natural-measurement.md)
- [Port Ilvess](../misc/port-ilvess.md)
- [Speed of Light](speed-of-light.md)

## Sources
[^s1]: [raw/aldervane-primer-extract.md](../../raw/aldervane-primer-extract.md), lines 24-25 — the Primer's stated value for the speed of sound (ingested 2026-07-04)
[^s2]: [raw/aldervane-primer-extract.md](../../raw/aldervane-primer-extract.md), lines 25-27 — the student and Institute proofs (ingested 2026-07-04)
[^s3]: [raw/aldervane-primer-extract.md](../../raw/aldervane-primer-extract.md), lines 27-29 — the light/sound gap as a future navigator's tool (ingested 2026-07-04)
[^llm1]: LLM - the Primer states sound moves at 512 m/s through sea-level air; the real-world speed of sound in air near sea level is approximately 340 m/s. Preserved here as the source states it (added 2026-07-04)
