a car sounds its horn as it travels at a steady speed of 15m/s along a straight road between two observers x and y. the observer x heras a frequency of 538 hz while observer y hears a lower frequency.
1 is the car traveling towards x or y
2what would the frequency be heard from the car by either x or y if the car stopped and sounded its horn
3what frequency does y hear when x hears 538 hz
One wonders what the frequency being sounded was.
Fregwency =300Hz
To answer these questions, we need to apply the principles of the Doppler Effect. The Doppler Effect is the shift in frequency or pitch observed when there is relative motion between a sound source and an observer.
1. Is the car traveling towards observer X or Y?
To determine this, we need to consider the observed frequencies by both observers. Observer X hears a frequency of 538 Hz, and Observer Y hears a lower frequency. According to the Doppler Effect, if the observed frequency decreases, it means that the source of the sound is moving away from the observer. Therefore, the car is traveling away from Observer Y.
2. What would the frequency be heard from the car by either X or Y if the car stopped and sounded its horn?
When the car is stationary and sounding its horn, the observed frequency will be the same for both observers. This is because there is no relative motion between the car and the observers, resulting in no Doppler Effect. Therefore, both Observer X and Observer Y would hear the same frequency as emitted by the car's horn.
3. What frequency does Y hear when X hears 538 Hz?
To determine the frequency heard by Observer Y when Observer X hears 538 Hz, we need to consider the direction of motion. Since Observer X hears a frequency of 538 Hz, which is higher than the frequency heard by Observer Y, it indicates that the car is moving towards Observer X. According to the Doppler Effect, when the source is moving towards the observer, the observed frequency is higher than the emitted frequency. Therefore, Observer Y would hear a frequency lower than 538 Hz.
Do it yourself
1. towards X
2. 538Hz