Final answer:
The distance to the cave wall is calculated by multiplying the time it takes for the echo to return to the bat (10 seconds) by the speed of sound (340 m/s) for the round trip. Dividing this value by 2 gives the one-way distance to the cave wall, which is 1700 meters.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves calculating the distance a sound wave travels after being emitted by a bat and reflected from a surface, using the speed of sound. When a bat sends out a sound wave, it travels to the cave wall and then bounces back to the bat. The total travel time for the sound wave is given as 10 seconds. Since sound travels at a speed of 340 m/s, the distance to the wall and back will be the speed of sound multiplied by the time. However, this distance is for the round trip, so we need to divide by 2 to find the one-way distance to the cave wall.
To calculate:
Total round trip distance = Speed of sound × Time = 340 m/s × 10 s = 3400 meters.
One-way distance to the cave wall = Total round trip distance ÷ 2 = 3400 meters ÷ 2 = 1700 meters.
Therefore, the correct answer is (a) 1700 meters. This example demonstrates how bats use sound echoes to navigate and locate objects such as walls or prey, a method known as echolocation.