Question

An ocean fishing boat is drifting just above a school oftuna on a foggy day. Without warning, an engine backfireoccurs on another boat at a distance of d = 1.55 km(Figure 1). The speed of sound in air is 343 m/s, and insea water is 1560 m/s.How much time elapses before the backfire is heard by the fish?

Answer 1

d = vt

d= distance = 1.55 km = 1550 m

v = speed = ( for the fish use the speed in sea water ) = 1560 m/s

t = time

t= d/ v = 1550 m/ 1560 m/s = 0.99 s = 1 second