Moderate

An airplane travels at a speed of 0.5v where v is the speed of sound. The airplane approaches a stationary observer .The frequency of sound emitted by the aircraft is in 200Hz. Which frequency does the observer hear?

Correct answer: A. 400 HZ

  • A. 400 HZ
  • B. 100 HZ
  • C. 120 HZ
  • D. 180 HZ

Explanation

Given: Speed of sound = Vs = 340 ms-1 Speed of aeroplane = Va = 0.5 × 340 = 170 ms-1 Frequency = f = 200 Hz Frequency = f ' = ? Using the formula: f ' = Vs / (Vs - Va)× f = 340 / (340 - 170) × 200 = 340 / 170 × 200 = 2 × 200 f ' = 400 Hz

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