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I keep getting this wrong! Help! An ambulance is traveling East at 20m/s. The si

ID: 1596688 • Letter: I

Question

I keep getting this wrong! Help!

An ambulance is traveling East at 20m/s. The siren emits a fixed frequency of 210Hz. Each of the following cars is traveling down the road as described. Rank the cars according to the frequency the driver will hear. Select 1 for the car which will hear the highest frequency. Remember that if the frequency is the same, select the same rank and skip the next number. I really suggest drawing a picture to help sort this out. Keep in mind the relative speed - How fast does it seem the ambulance is moving towards or away from each driver? A car driving East at a speed of 15m/s. The car is behind the ambulance. A car driving East at a speed of 20m/s. The car is behind the ambulance. A car driving West at a speed of 25m/s. The car is moving towards the ambulance. A car sitting stationary at the side of the road watching the oncoming ambulance.

Explanation / Answer

1.)

Va = speed of ambulance or source = 20 m/s

Vc = speed of car or listener = 15 m/s

V = speed of sound = 343

f = actual frequency = 210

f' = frequency heard

using the formula

f' = (V - Vc) f/(V + Va) = (343 - 0) (210)/(343 + 5) = 207 Hz

rank 4

b)

Va = speed of ambulance or source = 20 m/s

Vc = speed of car or listener = 20 m/s

V = speed of sound = 343

f = actual frequency = 210

f' = frequency heard

using the formula

f' = (V - Vc) f/(V - Va) = (343 - 20) (210)/(343 - 20) = 210 Hz

rank 3

c)

Va = speed of ambulance or source = 20 m/s

Vc = speed of car or listener = 25 m/s   west

V = speed of sound = 343

f = actual frequency = 210

f' = frequency heard

using the formula

f' = (V - Vc) f/(V + Va) = (343 - 25) (210)/(343 + 20) = 213.25 Hz

Rank 2

d)

Va = speed of ambulance or source = 20 m/s

Vc = speed of car or listener = 0

V = speed of sound = 343

f = actual frequency = 210

f' = frequency heard

using the formula

f' = (V - Vc) f/(V - Va) = (343 - 0) (210)/(343 - 20) = 223 Hz

Rank 1