MISN-0-204

THE DOPPLER EFFECT

by
Mary Lu Larsen
Towson State University
THE DOPPLER EFFECT
1. Introduction
a. The Effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
b. Questions to be Answered . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2. The Doppler Effect for Sound
a. Wave Source and Receiver Both Stationary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Source Ear b. Wave Source Approaching Stationary Receiver . . . . . . . . . . .2
Stationary c. Receiver Approaching Stationary Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
d. Source and Receiver Approaching Each Other . . . . . . . . . . . 5
e. Relative Linear Motion: Three Cases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
f. Moving Source Not Equivalent to Moving Receiver . . . . . . . 6
g. The Medium is the Preferred Reference Frame . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Moving Ear
Away 3. The Doppler Effect for Light
a. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
b. Doppler Broadening of Spectral Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
c. Receding Galaxies Emit Doppler Shifted Light . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Ear 4. Limitations of the Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Moving
Toward Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Project PHYSNET · Physics Bldg. · Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI

1
ID Sheet: MISN-0-204

THIS IS A DEVELOPMENTAL-STAGE PUBLICATION

Title: The Doppler Effect OF PROJECT PHYSNET

Author: Mary Lu Larsen, Dept. of Physics, Towson State University

The goal of our project is to assist a network of educators and scientists in
Version: 4/17/2002 Evaluation: Stage 0 transferring physics from one person to another. We support manuscript
processing and distribution, along with communication and information
Length: 1 hr; 24 pages
systems. We also work with employers to identify basic scientific skills
Input Skills: as well as physics topics that are needed in science and technology. A
number of our publications are aimed at assisting users in acquiring such
1. Vocabulary: wavefront (MISN-0-203) or (MISN-0-430).
skills.
2. State the relationships between the wavelength, frequency, period,
and speed of a wave (MISN-0-201) or (MISN-0-430). Our publications are designed: (i) to be updated quickly in response to
field tests and new scientific developments; (ii) to be used in both class-
Output Skills (Knowledge): room and professional settings; (iii) to show the prerequisite dependen-
K1. Vocabulary: relative speed, Doppler broadening, Doppler effect, cies existing among the various chunks of physics knowledge and skill,
Doppler shift. as a guide both to mental organization and to use of the materials; and
K2. Describe how the Doppler effect is used by astronomers and cos- (iv) to be adapted quickly to specific user needs ranging from single-skill
mologists to justify the “expanding universe” model. instruction to complete custom textbooks.

Output Skills (Problem Solving): New authors, reviewers and field testers are welcome.

S1. Solve any Doppler shift problem by deriving the shift for that par-
PROJECT STAFF
ticular case alone (not by using the general Doppler shift formula
and not by deriving the general case and then using it).
Andrew Schnepp Webmaster
S2. Use the Doppler shift formula to determine the Doppler shift for Eugene Kales Graphics
given motions of a sound wave source and a receiver relative to Peter Signell Project Director
each other as well as to the acoustic medium.
S3. Given a value for the Doppler shift, calculate the relative speed
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
between receiver and source.
D. Alan Bromley Yale University
E. Leonard Jossem The Ohio State University
A. A. Strassenburg S. U. N. Y., Stony Brook

Views expressed in a module are those of the module author(s) and are
not necessarily those of other project participants.

c 2002, Peter Signell for Project PHYSNET, Physics-Astronomy Bldg.,

°
Mich. State Univ., E. Lansing, MI 48824; (517) 355-3784. For our liberal
use policies see:
http://www.physnet.org/home/modules/license.html.

3 4
MISN-0-204 1 MISN-0-204 2

THE DOPPLER EFFECT peak peak

by
Mary Lu Larsen
Towson State University v

stationary stationary
1. Introduction wave source l receiver
1a. The Effect. You have probably had the experience of hearing an Figure 1. A stationary source producing sound waves that
ambulance approaching with its siren blaring, and you may have noticed reach a stationary receiver.
that there was a sharp drop in the pitch of the siren as it passed you. That
was because, as it passed you, the siren changed from coming toward you
2. The Doppler Effect for Sound
to going away from you. To a person in the ambulance the siren stayed at
a frequency that was between the “coming toward” you (higher) one and 2a. Wave Source and Receiver Both Stationary. Here we review
the “going away from” you (lower) one. The single frequency heard by the wavelength-frequency-speed equation for the non-Doppler case, where
the person in the ambulance was, in fact, the frequency you would have the sound wave source and receiver are both at rest with respect to the
heard if the ambulance had been stationary. This is true in general: an air (the medium in which the sound propagates). The source produces
approaching source of sound shows a higher frequency than a stationary waves of wavelength λ and frequency ν that travel at wave speed v, the
sound, and a receding source shows a lower frequency. This change in the speed of sound in air (see Fig. 1). The equation is:
observed frequency of the sound, due to the motion of the source, is a
consequence of the wave nature of sound and this phenomenon is called λν = v . (1)
the “Doppler effect.” The change in the observed frequency is called the
“Doppler shift.” 2b. Wave Source Approaching Stationary Receiver. Now we
The Doppler effect is useful for measuring the velocities of wave find the equation for the shift in frequency, the Doppler shift, when the
sources. For example, it is used for measuring blood flow non-invasively, wave source is moving at speed vsrc toward a stationary receiver.1 In
for measuring the speed of cars, and, since light is also a wave, for deter- Fig. 2 we show two frames of a “movie” of what is happening. At a cer-
mining the velocities of stars. tain instant of time, wave peak #1 is emitted by the source (see Fig. 2a). 2
Exactly one wave period T later, peak #1 has moved a distance λ (one
1b. Questions to be Answered. In the search for an understanding wavelength) and peak #2 is emitted (Fig. 2b). However, peak #2 is not
of the Doppler effect, several interesting questions present themselves: emitted at the same position in space as peak #1 was emitted because
in the time T the wave source has moved a distance vsrc T (assume that
1. Does the Doppler shift depend only on whether the source is moving, vsrc < v). Thus it is with each successive wave peak; the source is con-
or on whether both the source and observer are moving, or does it stantly advancing so that each wavelength is diminished by the distance
perhaps depend only on their relative velocity? 1 By “stationary,” we mean with respect to the air through which the wave propa-

2. Does the Doppler shift depend on whether the air, the transporter gates. Thus to a “stationary observer” there can be no wind blowing.
2 The lines denoting wave peaks are drawn along the individual crests (peaks) of
of the sound, is moving? the sound wave. If the wave could be shown in three dimensions, the peak lines would
be seen to be parts of spherical surfaces spreading out from the source. In some
3. Can one derive an exact formula, good for all situations, wherein commercial textbooks the wave peak lines (or surfaces) are erroneously referred to as
one can plug in all the relevant velocities, plus the frequency of the “wave fronts.”
source in its own rest frame, and get out the observed frequency?

5 6
MISN-0-204 3 MISN-0-204 4

v vo
a) vs

stationary
receiver stationary l
source moving receiver
Figure 3. A receiver approaching a stationary source.
l
2 1 This frequency, ν 0 , determines the pitch heard by the receiver. By ex-
ploiting the relationship between frequency and period,

b) vs v 1
T = , (4)
ν
stationary
receiver and using Eqs. (1) and (4) to eliminate λ, Eq. (3) can be rearranged as:
l'
Figure 2. A moving wave source emitting wave peaks that vsrc ν0 − ν
= . Help: [S-3] (5)
reach a stationary receiver: (a) wave peak #1 is emitted; (b) v ν0
wave peak #2 is emitted. We now write ∆ν as the Doppler Shift, the change in frequency:

vsrc T . The receiver perceives waves of wavelength λ0 , where ∆ν ≡ ν 0 − ν . (6)

λ0 = λ − vsrc T . (2) Then using it to eliminate ν 0 , we get:

∆ν vsrc
= . (7)
ν + ∆ν v
Now, what about the other wave characteristics, such as wave speed
and frequency? Once the wave is introduced into the air, its speed is If ∆ν is small compared to ν, this can be expressed as
determined by the properties of the medium (density, elastic response, ∆ν vsrc
temperature, etc.) and not by the way the wave was produced. The wave ≈ . (∆ν ¿ ν) . (8)
ν v
“forgets” its history, i.e. whether its source was moving or not, hence the
wave speed is still v. Although the source is producing waves of frequency In words, the fractional change in frequency is approximately equal to the
ν, it cannot be this frequency that the receiver perceives, but a frequency ratio of the speed of the source to the speed of sound.
ν 0 which satisfies the equation:
2c. Receiver Approaching Stationary Source. Suppose the re-
0 0 0
ν λ = ν (λ − vsrc T ) = v . (3) ceiver is approaching a stationary source with speed vrcv as depicted in
Fig. 3. The receiver would measure the wavelength of the waves as λ, just
as in the case of both source and receiver at rest. However, since the
receiver is in motion relative to the air in which the waves have speed v,

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MISN-0-204 5 MISN-0-204 6

the receiver perceives a higher speed for the waves relative to the receiver 2e. Relative Linear Motion: Three Cases. In the three previously
itself: discussed situations, the final expression was determined by assuming that
vrel = v + vrcv . (9) the source and the receiver were approaching each other along a straight
3 line.
The frequency ν 0 perceived by the receiver is determined by this relative
speed and the wavelength λ by the following modified version of Eq. (1): ¤ Reconstruct the arguments for relative motion along a straight line for
the source and the receiver moving away from each other. The following
ν 0 λ = vrel = v + vrcv . (10) general relationships may thus be established:
Eliminating λ using λ = v/ν, and rearranging as before, we obtain: Case 1. Moving source, receiver at rest.

ν0 − ν vrcv ∆ν vsrc
= . (11) =± , (15)
ν v ν + ∆ν v

Substituting ∆ν into Eq. (11), we obtain: so, for cases where ∆ν is very small compared to ν,

∆ν vrcv ∆ν vsrc
= . (12) ≈± . (∆ν << ν) (16)
ν v ν v

In this situation the fractional change in frequency, ∆ν/ν, is exactly equal The plus sign is used for an approaching source, the negative sign for a
to the ratio of the speed of the receiver to the speed of sound. receding source.

2d. Source and Receiver Approaching Each Other. By com- Case 2. Source at rest, receiver moving.
bining the arguments of the previous two situations, the reader should ∆ν vrcv
verify that the following equation must be satisfied for waves emitted by =± . (17)
ν v
a moving source and perceived by a moving receiver, approaching one
another: The plus sign is used for an approaching receiver, the negative sign for a
ν 0 (λ − vsrc T ) = v + vrcv , Help: [S-4] (13) receding one.
which can be transformed into: Case 3. Source and receiver both moving.
∆ν vsrc + vrcv ∆ν ±vsrc ± vrcv
= . Help: [S-8] (14) = . (18)
ν v − vsrc ν v ∓ vsrc

¤ When calculating the Doppler shift, do it without blindly plugging into The upper sign on vsrc is used for an approaching source, the lower sign for
a prederived formula. Use the fact that sound travels with a character- a receding one. Similarly, the upper sign on vrcv is used for an approaching
istic speed relative to the medium through which it propagates, plus the receiver, the lower sign for a receding one.
definition of wavelength and frequency, to calculate the frequency shift. ¤ How fast would a piano have to be approaching a receiver for the note
Count the numbers of waves emitted or received in some appropriate pe- A (440 Hz) to sound like B [ (466 Hz), one-half step higher on the musical
riod of time by an appropriate source or receiver. Finally, check your scale? Take the speed of sound to be 3.30 × 102 m/s. Help: [S-5]
answer with a remembered formula.4
3 This
2f. Moving Source Not Equivalent to Moving Receiver.
is one-dimensional relative motion. For those interested, two-dimensional
(vector) relative speeds are examined in “Relative Linear Motion and Frames of Ref-
Eqs. (15) and (17) are different because the Doppler shift produced by
erence ,” MISN-0-11. motion of the sound wave source is different from that produced by an
4 This process is illustrated in Problems 3 and 4 in the Problem Supplement. identical relative motion of a sound wave receiver. To see the significance

9 10
MISN-0-204 7 MISN-0-204 8

of this, imagine two receivers on different ships. Suppose the observers line
know that only one ship is moving, but don’t know which one it is. If
one ship emits a blast from its horn and the receiver on the other ship
measures the sound frequency, the person operating the receiver can use Doppler
the known rest frequency of the horn, the relative speed of the ships, and
broadened
the speed of sound to see whether the measurements are consistent with

Intensity
Eq. (15) or Eq. (17) and thus determine which of the ships is moving.
2g. The Medium is the Preferred Reference Frame. The non-
symmetry of source and receiver is a direct consequence of the fact that
sound requires an elastic medium for its propagation. In the cases con-
sidered so far, air has been that medium. A coordinate system fixed in
Figure 4. Doppler broadening of
this medium is called a “preferred” reference frame for the phenomena: n0 n the natural spectral line shape.
all velocities in a sound-wave problem are to be measured with respect to
a coordinate system fixed in this frame.
These sources emit or absorb electromagnetic radiation in a spectrum of
discrete frequencies called “spectral lines.” Each spectral “line” may
3. The Doppler Effect for Light be represented on a graph of radiation intensity as a function of frequency
3a. Introduction. There is a remarkable difference between the and looks as shown in Fig. 4. The spectral line has a peak at some fre-
Doppler effect in sound waves and the Doppler effect in light waves. For quency ν0 and a “width” measured at half the peak intensity. This width
light waves there is no preferred frame of reference, no material “medium” has a minimum value called the “natural line width,” representing the
in which the waves travel. In fact, light waves travel at maximum speed fact that frequencies other than ν0 may be emitted or absorbed, although
through a complete vacuum where sound waves cannot travel at all! One such frequencies occur with lower intensities. However, since the atomic
consequence is that, unlike a sound wave, the speed of a light wave is or molecular sources are in random thermal motion6 with a Gaussian dis-
the same to all receivers regardless of their velocities. The details are left tribution of velocities, the observed frequencies are a similar distribution
to a careful derivation elsewhere.5 Nevertheless, when the speed of the about the peak frequency ν0 . This effect is called the “broadening” of the
source of the light is small compared to the speed of light, the Doppler spectral line (beyond its “ natural” width). Such a spectral “line” has a
(frequency) shift is given, to a good approximation, by the same equation width of roughly 2∆ν, where ∆ν is the Doppler shift for a source moving
as for the case of sound with a moving source and stationary receiver): at the average speed of the thermal distribution.

∆ν v ¤ If hydrogen atoms on the surface of a blue-white star have an average

=± . (v ¿ c) (19) thermal speed of 2.5 × 104 m/s, show that the Doppler broadening of the
ν c
Hα line, λ = 656.5 nm, is 7.6 × 1010 Hz. Help: [S-6]
Here c is the speed of light in a vacuum and v is the relative speed of the
3c. Receding Galaxies Emit Doppler Shifted Light. One of the
light source and the receiver, irrespective of which one is taken to be at
most important pieces of evidence supporting the expanding universe
rest. The upper sign is used if the source and the receiver are approaching
model is the Doppler shift of spectral line frequencies of light emitted
each other; the lower sign if they are receding from each other.
from stars in distant galaxies. These spectral lines are easily identified by
3b. Doppler Broadening of Spectral Lines. An important exam- comparison with laboratory spectra, but are consistently shifted to lower
ple of the Doppler effect for light is the “broadening” of spectral lines frequencies. Such shifts, called “red shifts,” indicate that the star as a
due to the thermal motion of the atomic or molecular sources of light. whole is receding from the earth at a speed determined from Eq. (19). No
5 See “Topics in Relativity: Doppler Shift and Pair Production” (MISN-0-308). 6 For further discussion of thermal motion see this module’s Glossary.

11 12
MISN-0-204 9 MISN-0-204 10

such stellar spectra have been observed to be Doppler shifted to higher • thermal motion: the motions of objects that produce the measurable
frequencies (“blue-shifted”), leading to the inescapable conclusion that quantity called “temperature.” For a gas, such as air, the velocities of
the galaxies are receding from each other and that the universe is ex- the gas molecules have random directions and their magnitudes that
panding. are random within a Gaussian distribution function (for further dis-
cussion see “Energy and Boltzmann Distributions,” MISN-0-159). The
temperature of a gas is a simple function of the mean value of that
4. Limitations of the Results distribution. Thus an increase of temperature is a signal that the mean
Experience shows that the assumptions about wave motion on which speed of the gas molecules has shifted upward.
our Doppler shift results were derived are not always valid. For one thing,
• relative speed: the speed of an object as measured by an observer
the elastic restoring force by which particles in an acoustic medium are
who is moving with respect to another observer who has also measured
returned to their equilibrium positions are not always close to being linear. the object’s speed. Consider a road barrier: a “stationary” observer will
This is almost always true for large enough displacements (high enough
measure its speed as zero, but if its speed is measured by an observer
“volume” of sound). The result is a wave equation with spatial derivatives
traveling toward it at a high speed, that “relative speed” will not be
of higher order than ∂ 2 /∂x2 . The wave speed is then no longer λν and zero but will be the speed of that observer. In general, fhe speed of an
the wave changes shape; the wave “disperses.”
object, as measured by two observers, will differ by the speed of either
Another limitation to our Doppler shift equations arises from the one of the observers itself as measured by the other observer. In the case
assumption that the speed of the source is less than the speed of the of sound, the speed of a wave crest as measured by an observer at rest
wave. However, if the receiver is receding from the source at a speed with respect to the air, a “stationary” observer, is the normally-quoted
exceeding the wave speed, the wave will never catch up and hence will speed of sound in air, v. Suppose now that the “stationary” observer
never be observed at all! sees another observer moving at speed vobs toward the oncoming wave
crests: this second, “non-stationary,” observer will measure the speed
of the wave crests as v + vobs .
Acknowledgments
Preparation of this module was supported in part by the National
Science Foundation, Division of Science Education Development and
Research, through Grant #SED 74-20088 to Michigan State Univer-
sity.

Glossary
• Doppler broadening: the broadening of the natural linewidth of a
spectral line, due to the Doppler shift produced by the random thermal
motion of the atomic or molecular sources of radiation.
• Doppler effect: the phenomenon whereby the observed frequency of
a wave depends on the motions of the wave source and the receiver.
• Doppler shift: the change in the observed frequency of a wave due
to the motion of the wave source and/or the receiver.

13 14
MISN-0-204 PS-1 MISN-0-204 PS-2

d. With what speed does this wave train move by the receiver?
PROBLEM SUPPLEMENT e. What length of wave train moves by the receiver in 1 second?
f. How many wavelets are contained in this wave train (of 1 second
Note: Problems 6 and 7 also occur in this module’s Model Exam. duration)?
g. How many wavelets move by the receiver in 1 second?
0
1. Express Eqs. (15), (17), and (18) in terms of ν, ν and the speeds of h. What frequency of sound does the receiver detect?
the source and the receiver, without ∆ν.
4. The 6.00 × 102 Hz source of Problem 3 is moving toward a receiver at
2
2. Taking the speed of sound as 3.40 × 10 m/s, consider the following six a speed of 4.0 × 101 m/s while the receiver moves toward the source
situations: at 6.0 × 101 m/s with respect to the air. In solving the following parts
use numbers, not symbols.
a. a receiver moves toward a stationary source at 1.70 × 102 m/s,
b. a receiver moves away from a stationary source at 1.70 × 102 m/s, a. The source emits sound waves as it moves. In 5 seconds, how many
wavelets (complete cycles of the traveling wave) has it emitted?
c. a source moves toward a stationary receiver at 1.70 × 102 m/s,
b. How far from its original source location has the front of the wave
d. a source moves away from a stationary receiver at 1.70 × 102 m/s, train gone (toward the receiver) in this 5 seconds?
e. a source and a receiver move away from each other, each moving c. How far from the initial source location was the last of the 5 second
relative to the stationary acoustic medium at 85 m/s, wave train emitted?
f. a source and a receiver are stationary relative to each other but d. From parts (b) and (c), over what distance in the air is this wave
move with speed v = 1.0 × 101 m/s relative to the acoustic medium train extended?
(the air) in the direction from the source to the receiver.
e. To a receiver at rest with respect to the air, what is the distance
In each case the source emits sound waves of frequency ν = 3.00 × between the adjacent wavelets? Get this from parts (a) and (d).
102 Hz. Determine the frequency the receiver detects in each case. What wavelength does the receiver measure for this sound wave?
Also, in part (f), determine the wavelength of the waves. Help: [S-1] f. Compare this result with the wavelength that would be observed if
2
3. A stationary source emits sound waves of frequency 6.00 × 10 Hz. A the source were at rest.
receiver at rest detects these waves. In solving the following parts use g. How fast does this wave train go by the moving receiver?
numbers, not symbols. h. What distance of wave train moves by the receiver in one second?
a. How many “wavelets” (complete cycles of the traveling wave) does i. How many wavelets go by the receiver in this one second?
this source emit in 5 seconds? j. What frequency does the receiver measure?
b. Over what distance in space is this wave train spread out if the k. Compare the answer to part (j) with the frequency calculated using
speed of sound is 3.40 × 102 m/s? the Doppler shift formula stated in the module text.
c. What is the distance between adjacent “crests” of this wave? Get
5. A physicist receives a traffic citation for running a red light (λ =
this result by using the number of wavelets in the wave train of
6.20×102 nm). She claims that, because she was approaching the light,
part (a) and the length of the wave train. This is the wavelength
the Doppler effect made the light look green (λ = 5.40 × 102 nm).
of the waves. Does this agree with the standard way you know for
calculating the wavelength (given the speed and frequency of the a. Calculate the speed the physicist would have had to be traveling
wave)? for her assertion to be true.

15 16
MISN-0-204 PS-3 MISN-0-204 PS-4

b. Would she have been exceeding the speed limit? d. ν 0 = 200 Hz.

6. In this problem, derive the Doppler shift for each part separately, using e. ν 0 = 180 Hz.
numbers rather than symbols throughout the derivation, and justifying f. ν 0 = 300 Hz, λ0 = 1.10 m.
each basic step. This means following exactly the types of procedures 3. a. 3000.
you were led through in Problems 3 and 4, where you were always
asked for numbers, never for symbols. For each part below, determine b. 1700 m.
the frequency of sound as measured by the specified receiver. The c. 0.567 m, yes.
source frequency is ν = 1.00 × 102 Hz in its own rest frame. d. 340 m/s.
a. The receiver is stationary and the source moves away from it at e. 340 m.
7.0 × 101 m/s. f. 600 wavelets.
b. The source is stationary and the receiver moves away from it at g. 600.
7.0 × 101 m/s.
h. 600 Hz.
c. The receiver and the source move away from each other, each mov-
4. a. 3000.
ing at 1.00 × 102 m/s relative to the air.
b. 1700 m.
d. The receiver and the source move toward each other, each moving
at 1.00 × 102 m/s relative to the air. c. 200 m.
d. 1500 m.
7. An astronomer measures the frequencies of the spectral lines in a star’s
spectrum and finds them to be red-shifted by 2%. This measurement e. 0.500 m, 0.500 m.
is made at a time when the earth’s velocity due to its motion about f. 0.567 m.
the sun makes a right angle with the direction to the star. Calculate
g. 400 m/s.
the speed with which the star appears to be receding from the earth.
Assume the earth is not moving toward or away from the star at the h. 400 m.
time of measurement. Help: [S-7] i. 800.
j. 800 Hz.
k. 800 Hz.
Brief Answers:
5. a. 4 × 107 m/s (approximately, since v ¿ c does not hold).
vsound b. Obviously yes.
1. Case1: ν 0 = ν . (vreceiver = 0) (150 )
vsound ∓ vsource
6. a. 83 Hz.
vsound ± vreceiver
Case2: ν 0 = ν . (vsource = 0) (170 ) b. 79 Hz.
vsound
vsound ± vreceiver c. 55 Hz.
Case3: ν 0 = ν . (180 )
vsound ∓ vsource d. 183 Hz.
0
2. a. ν = 450 Hz. 7. v = 6 × 106 m/s. Help: [S-7]
0
b. ν = 150 Hz.
c. ν 0 = 600 Hz.

17 18
MISN-0-204 AS-1 MISN-0-204 AS-2

S-5 (from TX-2e)

SPECIAL ASSISTANCE SUPPLEMENT Solution: Since the source of the sound is moving, we use Case 1. Let
us calculate the speed vsrc from the exact formula, Text Eq. (15):
S-1 (from PS-Problem 2) ∆ν vsrc
µ
∆ν
¶
= =⇒ vsrc = v
Notice that the answers to parts (a) and (c) are not the same, even ν + ∆ν v ν + ∆ν
though in both cases the relative speed of the source and the observer
are the same. Similarly, the relative speed of the source and the observer Now ν = 440 Hz, ν + ∆ν = 466 Hz, and ∆ν = 26 Hz so:
in parts (b), (d) and (e) are the same but the Doppler shifts are all µ ¶
26 Hz
different. Also note that (b) of Text Eq. (15) is not applicable because vsrc = (330 m/s) = 18.4 m/s.
it is an approximation valid only if vs is small compared to v. Try parts 466 Hz
(c) and (d) a source speed having the value 34 m/s. Subequation (b) Now let us calculate vsrc , using the approximation of Text Eq. (17):
of Text Eq. (15) is now a better approximation, especially if you retain
only one digit beyond the decimal point. ∆ν vsrc
≈
ν v
S-3 (from TX-2b)
µ ¶
∆ν 26 Hz
vsrc ≈v = (330 m/s) ≈ 19.5 m/s
Direct substitution gives: ν 440 Hz
µ ¶ The fractional error introduced by the approximation is 1.1/18.4, about
0 v 1
ν − vs =v 6.0%.
ν ν

and then simple algebraic manipulations give: S-6 (from TX-3b)

ν0
(v − vs ) = v ∆ν v 2.5 × 104 m/s
ν =+ = = 8.33 × 10−5 ,
ν0 c 3.0 × 108 m/s
ν0 ³ vs ´ which is the shift from ν0 for the sources that are approaching the re-
1− =1
ν v ceiver with speed v. At any given instant, about the same number are
vs ν receding from the receiver and for these the shift would have a minus
1− = 0
v ν sign. Hence the full width at half maximum would be:
vs ν
=1− 0
3.00 × 108 m/s
µ ¶
v ν ∆ν
2∆ν = 2 ν0 = 2 (8.33 × 10−5 ) = 7.6 × 1010 Hz.
and the result follows immediately. ν0 656.5 nm

S-4 (from TX-2d)

Treat the output frequency of Sect. 2b as the input frequency for
Sect. 2c.

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MISN-0-204 AS-3 MISN-0-204 ME-1

S-7 (from PS-7)

MODEL EXAM
1. We have found that most students who seek help on this problem
simply did not really try to learn the relevant material in the text 1. See Output Skills K1-K2.
so they have no idea what the words in the problem mean. One of
the most important skills to learn in college is to properly decide 2. In this problem, derive the Doppler shift for each part separately, using
when you cannot solve a problem unless you understand the terms numbers rather than symbols throughout the derivation, and justifying
involved. This is one of those cases where you need to find the section each basic step. For each part below, determine the frequency of sound
where the problem’s words are used and really understand all of the as measured by the specified receiver. The source frequency is ν =
processes that the terms describe. That may force you to go back 100 Hz in its own rest frame.
to earlier sections and really learn that material as well. You will
a. The receiver is stationary and the source moves away from it at
know that you have succeeded in understanding the subject when
70 m/s.
the meaning of the phrase “red-shifted by 2.00%” is clear to you and
you realize that you know how to use the phrase mathematically. b. The source is stationary and the receiver moves away from it at
70 m/s.
2. Another aspect that has stymied some students is that they do not
c. The receiver and the source move away from each other, each mov-
know that they should actually start working on a problem even if
ing at 100 m/s relative to the air.
they cannot find a formula which contains, on its right-hand-side,
the exact list of quantities that are given in the problem. In real d. The receiver and the source move toward each other, each moving
life, one often has to just start working on a problem, using one’s at 100 m/s relative to the air.
general understanding of the phenomenon and see where one can
3. An astronomer measures the frequencies of the spectral lines in a star’s
start making correct inferences. Sometimes quantities whose values
spectrum and finds them to be red-shifted by 2.00%. This measure-
are not known simply disappear from the problem due to unforeseen
ment is made at a time when the earth’s velocity due to its motion
cancellations.
about the sun makes a right angle with the direction to the star. Cal-
3. Finally, there have been a few students who said they understood how culate the speed with which the star appears to be receding from the
to use percentages in describing an increase in a number of apples earth. Assume the earth is not moving toward or away from the star
or an increase in their pay, but who say that applying a percentage at the time of measurement.
increase to a number of cycles per second is mathematically different.
When we have told them that there is no difference mathematically,
they have generally gone away satisfied. Brief Answers:

S-8 (from TX-2d) 1. See this module’s text.

Notice which quantities must disappear in going from the first equation 2. See this module’s Problem Supplement, problem 6.
to the second. Get rid of those quantities by substituting for them in
terms of quantities that do occur in the second equation. After that it 3. See this module’s Problem Supplement, problem 7.
is just a matter of simple rearrangement to get the second equation in
the form shown.

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