Question

The driver of a stationary car hears a siren of an approaching police car at a frequency of 280Hz. If the actual frequency of the siren is 240Hz, find the speed of the police car (speed of sound is 343m/s).

Answer 1

The speed of the police car is 294 m/s

Step-by-step explanation:

Given;

frequency of the siren in air, f = 280 Hz

speed of sound in air, v = 343 m/s

Determine the wavelength of the sound in air to the stationary car:

v = fλ

where;

λ is wavelength of the sound

λ = v/f

λ = 343 / 280

λ = 1.225 m

Now, determine the speed at which the police car is approaching the stationary car;

The actual frequency of the police car, F = 240 Hz

V = Fλ

Where;

V is speed of the police car

λ is the distance between the police car and the stationary car, (wavelength)

V = 240 x 1.225

V = 294 m/s

Therefore, the speed of the police car is 294 m/s