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Doppler

The Doppler effect is the change in frequency of a wave perceived by an observer moving relative to its source. The received frequency is higher when approaching the source, lower when receding, and unchanged when passing by. This is due to the observer's motion relative to the medium through which the waves propagate. The total Doppler effect results from motion of the source, observer, or medium. Examples are the change in siren pitch of a passing vehicle and how motion affects the perceived sound of music.

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64 views

Doppler

The Doppler effect is the change in frequency of a wave perceived by an observer moving relative to its source. The received frequency is higher when approaching the source, lower when receding, and unchanged when passing by. This is due to the observer's motion relative to the medium through which the waves propagate. The total Doppler effect results from motion of the source, observer, or medium. Examples are the change in siren pitch of a passing vehicle and how motion affects the perceived sound of music.

Uploaded by

lhen26
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DOPPLER

EFFECT
The Doppler effect (or Doppler shift), named
after Austrian physicist Christian Doppler who proposed it in 1842, is
the change in frequency of a wave for an observer moving relative to
the source of the wave. It is commonly heard when a vehicle
sounding a siren or horn approaches, passes, and recedes from an
observer. The received frequency is higher (compared to the emitted
frequency) during the approach, it is identical at the instant of passing
by, and it is lower during the recession.

For waves that propagate in a medium, such as sound waves, the


velocity of the observer and of the source are relative to the medium
in which the waves are transmitted. The total Doppler effect may
therefore result from motion of the source, motion of the observer, or
motion of the medium. Each of these effects is analyzed separately.
For waves which do not require a medium, such as light
or gravity in general relativity, only the relative difference in velocity
between the observer and the source needs to be considered.
The clip at left shows a stationary sound
source. Sound waves are produced at a
constant frequency f0, and the
wavefronts propagate symmetrically
away from the source at a constant
speed v, which is the speed of sound in
the medium. The distance between
wavefronts is the wavelength. All
observers will hear the same frequency,
which will be equal to the actual
frequency of the source.
In the clip at left the same sound source is
radiating sound waves at a constant frequency
in the same medium. However, now the sound
source is moving to the right with a speed vs =
0.7 v (Mach 0.7). The wavefronts are produced
with the same frequency as before. However,
since the source is moving, the center of each
new wavefront is now slightly displaced to the
right. As a result, the wavefronts begin to
bunch up on the right side (in front of) and
spread further apart on the left side (behind) of
the source. An observer in front of the source
will hear a higher frequency f ´ > f0, and an
observer behind the source will hear a lower
frequency f ´ < f0.
Now the source is moving at the speed of
sound in the medium (vs = v, or Mach 1).
The speed of sound in air at sea level is
about 340 m/s or about 750 mph. The
wavefronts in front of the source are now
all bunched up at the same point. As a
result, an observer in front of the source
will detect nothing until the source arrives.
The pressure front will be quite intense (a
shock wave), due to all the wavefronts
adding together, and will not be percieved
as a pitch but as a "thump" of sound as the
pressure wall passes by. The figure at right
shows a bullet travelling at Mach 1.01.
You can see the shock wave front just
ahead of the bullet.
The sound source has now broken
through the sound speed barrier, and
is traveling at 1.4 times the speed of
sound (Mach 1.4). Since the source is
moving faster than the sound waves it
creates, it actually leads the advancing
wavefront. The sound source will pass
by a stationary observer before the
observer actually hears the sound it
creates.
When a vehicle with a siren passes you, a noticeable
drop in the pitch of the sound of the siren will be
observed as the vehicle passes. This is an example of
the Doppler effect. An approaching source moves
closer during period of the sound wave so the effective
wavelength is shortened, giving a higher pitch since the
velocity of the wave is unchanged. Similarly the pitch
of a receding sound source will be lowered.
Say you were enjoying your favorite band, live in concert. And, they were playing
your favorite song. You've listened to this song at home, and know every note. You
just love this song!
Guess what: if you got up and started walking around, you won't hear the same
thing that you were hearing when you were sitting still! That's right! The sounds of
your favorite song won't be right anymore! And, the faster you move, the more
"screwed up" the song becomes!
This is what the Doppler
Effect is all about. When a
sound is played, the precise
sound that is actually heard
depends on if you are moving
or not. In fact, if you want to
hear precisely the sound that is
being played, you must stand
still. As soon as you move, the
sound you hear and the sound
that's played will no longer be
the same thing!
by : herson robles
rico perez

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