WHY DOES AN

AMBULANCE SOUND
HIGHER PITCHED AS
IT APPROACHES YOU?
Melina DeRocco May 14th, 2015

First, how do sound waves work?

Sound compresses air

This is why you can feel the base if you
put your hand up to a speaker
It actually
changes the
pressure in
the air

First: How do sound waves

work?

This means that some air is closer

together
Some air is farther apart
High notes have
shorter wavelengths
Low notes have
longer wavelengths

So what about the

ambulance?

As the ambulance is moving toward you,

it is actually pushing the wavelengths
even closer together (because of its
motion)
As it passes, the waves are farther apart
(its like you are dragging the sound out)
You can see this physically in water
(Demonstration)

So what about the

ambulance?

Doppler Effect

This effect has a name!

Doppler Effect!

Works Cited