Question

When you blow your horn while driving toward a stationary listener, the listener hears an increase in frequency of the horn. Would the listener hear an increase in horn frequency if he or she were also in a car traveling at the same speed in the same direction as you are

A. Yes, there would still be an increase in frequency
B. No, the frequency would remain the same
C. It depends on the size of the vehicles
D. Only if the listener's car is larger than yours

Answer 1

In the context of the Doppler effect, if both the listener and the source of sound are moving at the same speed and in the same direction, there is no relative motion between them and thus no change in frequency would be observed. Hence, the correct answer is that the frequency would remain the same.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asked revolves around the Doppler effect, which is a phenomenon observed when there is a change in frequency of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the source of the wave. In the scenario described, if a listener is stationary and you blow your horn while driving toward them, they hear an increase in frequency due to the Doppler effect. However, if the listener is in a vehicle traveling at the same speed and in the same direction as you, they would not experience a change in frequency. The listener does not hear an increase in horn frequency because both the source of the sound (your car's horn) and the observer (the listener in the other car) are moving at the same velocity, meaning there is no relative motion between them that would cause a Doppler shift.

Option B, 'No, the frequency would remain the same,' is the correct answer to the question posed, as the size of the vehicles or other factors do not influence the Doppler effect under these specific conditions.