Question

Some bat species have auditory systems that work best over a narrow range of frequencies. To account for this, the bats adjust the sound frequencies they emit so that the returning, Doppler-shifted sound pulse is in the correct frequency range. As a bat increases its forward speed, should it increase or decrease the frequency of the emitted pulses to compensate?

Answer 1

As a bat increases its forward speed, it should decrease the frequency of the emitted pulses to compensate.

decrease

Step-by-step explanation:

Decreasing the frequency of the emitted pulse will help the bat reduce its frequency caused by its forward motion. The forward motion shifts the bat's auditory frequency to a higher frequency; consequently, the bat should adjust downwards the frequency of the emitted pulse so the reflected pulse will be in the correct frequency range.