Doppler Effect and Redshift updated [19 marks]

1. [1 mark]
Sea waves move towards a beach at a constant speed of 2.0 m s–1. They arrive at the beach
with a frequency of 0.10 Hz. A girl on a surfboard is moving in the sea at right angles to the
wave fronts. She observes that the surfboard crosses the wave fronts with a frequency of
0.40 Hz.

What is the speed of the surfboard and what is the direction of motion of the surfboard
relative to the beach?
2. [1 mark]
A train approaches a station and sounds a horn of constant frequency and constant
intensity. An observer waiting at the station detects a frequency fobs and an intensity Iobs.
What are the changes, if any, in Iobs and fobs as the train slows down?

3. [1 mark]
An ambulance siren emits a sound of frequency 1200 Hz. The speed of sound in air is
330 m s–1. The ambulance moves towards a stationary observer at a constant speed of
40 m s–1. What is the frequency heard by the observer?

1200×330
A. Hz
370
1200×290
B. Hz
330
1200×370
C. Hz
330
1200×330
D. Hz
290
4. [1 mark]
Two lines X and Y in the emission spectrum of hydrogen gas are measured by an observer
stationary with respect to the gas sample.

The emission spectrum is then measured by an observer moving away from the gas sample.
What are the correct shifts X* and Y* for spectral lines X and Y?
5. [1 mark]
A train is approaching an observer with constant speed
𝑐
34

where c is the speed of sound in still air. The train emits sound of wavelength λ. What is
the observed speed of the sound and observed wavelength as the train approaches?
6. [1 mark]
A train moving at speed u relative to the ground, sounds a whistle of constant frequency f
as it moves towards a vertical cliff face.

The sound from the whistle reaches the cliff face and is reflected back to the train. The
speed of sound in stationary air is c.
What whistle frequency is observed on the train after the reflection?
(𝑐+𝑢)
A. 𝑓
(𝑐−𝑢)

B. (c + u)f
C. (c – u)f
(𝑐−𝑢)
D. 𝑓
(𝑐+𝑢)

7. [1 mark]
A train travelling in a straight line emits a sound of constant frequency f. An observer at
rest very close to the path of the train detects a sound of continuously decreasing
frequency. The train is
A. approaching the observer at constant speed.
B. approaching the observer at increasing speed.
C. moving away from the observer at constant speed.
D. moving away from the observer at increasing speed.
8. [1 mark]
A train moves at constant speed whilst emitting a sound wave of frequency f0. At t=t0 the
train passes through a station. Which graph shows the variation with time t of the
frequency f of the sound wave as measured by an observer standing on the station
platform?
9. [1 mark]
A source emits sound of wavelength 𝜆0 and wave speed 𝑣0 . A stationary observer hears the
sound as the source moves away. What are the wavelength of the sound and the wave
speed of the sound as measured by the stationary observer?

10. [1 mark]
A car horn emits sound of frequency ƒ. While the horn is sounding, the car moves in a
straight line towards a stationary observer. The speed of the car is 0.10v where v is the
speed of sound. What is the frequency of the sound of the horn heard by the observer?
𝑓
1. 0.90
2. 1.1 ƒ
𝑓
3. 1.1
4. 0.90 ƒ
11a. [6 marks]
Police use radar to detect speeding cars. A police officer stands at the side of the road and
points a radar device at an approaching car. The device emits microwaves which reflect off
the car and return to the device. A change in frequency between the emitted and received
microwaves is measured at the radar device.
The frequency change Δf is given by
2𝑓𝑣
𝛥𝑓 =
𝑐
where f is the transmitter frequency, v is the speed of the car and c is the wave speed.
The following data are available.
Transmitter frequency f = 40 GHz Δf = 9.5 kHz Maximum speed allowed = 28 m s–1
(i) Explain the reason for the frequency change.
(ii) Suggest why there is a factor of 2 in the frequency-change equation.
(iii) Determine whether the speed of the car is below the maximum speed allowed.
11b. [2 marks]
Airports use radar to track the position of aircraft. The waves are reflected from the aircraft
and detected by a large circular receiver. The receiver must be able to resolve the radar
images of two aircraft flying close to each other.
The following data are available.
Diameter of circular radar receiver = 9.3 m Wavelength of radar = 2.5 cm Distance of two
aircraft from the airport = 31 km

Calculate the minimum distance between the two aircraft when their images can just be
resolved.
12. [1 mark]
An object emitting a sound of frequency 100 Hz orbits in a horizontal circle at a rate of two
revolutions per second.

An observer standing a short distance away from the object is able to hear the sound.
Which of the following describes the sound the observer is able to hear?
A. A sound of constant frequency but varying in amplitude
B. A sound of constantly varying frequency
C. A sound with a frequency of 50 Hz
D. A sound with a frequency of 200 Hz

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