DivisionofTechnicalEducationandManagementStudies

AppliedEngineeringScience ESC103

PassExamQuestion Spring2009
Dopplerseffect


Fall 2002
a) Explain the apparent change of frequency of a sound as the source moves towards or
away from the observation point.
b) The predominant frequency of a certain police cars siren is 1800 Hz when at rest. What
frequency do you detect if you move with a speed of 30.0m/s
(i) Toward the car.
(ii) Away from the car.
c) The frequency of a steam train whistle as it approaches you is 522 Hz. After it passes
you, its frequency is measured as 486 Hz. How fast was the train moving (assume
constant velocity)?

Spring 2005
The predominant frequency of a police siren is known to be 2500Hz when at rest. What
frequency will you detect if you approach at a constant speed of 80 kilometers per hour?

a. A technician in the pits at the NASCAR tracks observes the sound from an approaching
racecar to be of frequency of 12560 Hz. After the racecar passes his location the
frequency was measured to be 11860Hz. Calculate how fast was the racecar moving?

b. What will be if the temperature of the atmosphere at the racetrack was 33
o
C?
Assume the speed of sound in air at 20
o
C v
o
=343 m/s

Question 12
a) Explain Doppler Effect as an observer approaches a sound source.
b) The predominant frequency of a police siren is known to be 2500Hz when at rest. What
frequency will you detect if you approach at a constant speed of 80 kilometers per hour?

c) A technician in the pits at the NASCAR tracks observes the sound from an approaching
racecar to be of frequency of 12560 Hz. After the racecar passes his location the
frequency was measured to be 11860Hz. Calculate how fast was the racecar moving?
d) How will be if the frequencies detected be affected if temperature of the atmosphere at
the racetrack was 33oC?
Assume the speed of sound in air at 20
o
C v
o
= 343 m/s
Spring 2007

a) A spectator standing close to the edge of the racetracks observes that the frequency of the car
engines appears to increase as the car approaches his position and decrease as the car leaves.
Explain this effect.

b) A technician directs his radar speed gun at a vehicle approaching at 190 KPH. If the radar gun
emits a beam of frequency 22000Hz, then calculate the frequency of the beam the radar speed
gun would detect after striking the car.

c) A NASCAR technician monitoring an onboard ultrasonic transmitter on the racecar during a race
observes a Doppler frequency of 29460HZ as the car approaches his location and a Doppler
frequency of 21710 as the car leaves. Calculate the speed of the car.
You may assume the speed of sound in air is 330 m/s
Fall 2004

(a) Explain the apparent change of frequency of a sound as the source and observe move
relative to each other.

(b) The predominant frequency of a certain police cars siren is 1800 Hz when at rest. What
frequency would you detect if the police car moves with a speed of 30.0m/s away from
you.
(c) An air traffic controller directs his radar at an approaching aircraft and observes the
Doppler shift of the returning signal is 7586Hz If the radar emits a frequency of
22000Hz, what is the speed of the approaching aircraft.
Assume the velocity of sound in air v = 340m/s
Fall 2006

An Applied Engineering Science Students direct an ultrasonic pulse of frequency 22000Hz at a
cricket ball mid field - detect and analyses the returning echo for time and frequency. Assuming
speed of sound in air to be 340 m/s, determine the following.

a) If the time between the pulse and the returning echo is 450 milliseconds what is the
distance between the ball and the location of the emitter/detector apparatus?
b) The apparatus, when directed at the ball leaving the bowlers hand receives a frequency
of 17370Hz. What is the speed of the ball?
c) As the day gets warmer, how would the detected speed of the ball be affected?