(7 points) If the pitch of a sound is decreasing, is the object emitting the sound moving toward or away from the observer? Explain your answer in terms of frequency.
(7 points) If the pitch of a sound is increasing, is the object emitting the sound moving toward or away from the observer? Explain your answer in terms of frequency.
a decreasing pitch means that the wavelength
... (distance between peaks) is increasing with each peak
... the increasing distance means that the peaks reach the observer
... less frequently ... a lower pitch
this is caused by the source moving away from the observer
the opposite is true for a source moving toward the observer
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When the pitch of a sound is decreasing, it means that the frequency of the sound waves is decreasing. To understand whether the object emitting the sound is moving toward or away from the observer, we need to consider the concept of Doppler effect.
The Doppler effect describes how the frequency of a wave changes when the source of the wave is moving relative to the observer. When an object emitting sound is moving towards the observer, the sound waves are compressed, resulting in an increase in the perceived frequency or pitch of the sound. Conversely, when the object is moving away from the observer, the sound waves are stretched, leading to a decrease in the perceived frequency or pitch of the sound.
Therefore, if the pitch of a sound is decreasing, the object emitting the sound is moving away from the observer. As the distance between the observer and the object increases, the sound waves are stretched, resulting in a lower frequency or pitch.
Similarly, if the pitch of a sound is increasing, it indicates that the object emitting the sound is moving towards the observer. As the distance between the observer and the object decreases, the sound waves become compressed, leading to a higher frequency or pitch.
In summary, the change in pitch of a sound can be determined by the object's motion relative to the observer using the principles of the Doppler effect.