DOPPLER EFFECT FOR LIGHT :

• Doppler effect is characteristic for any kind of waves.

• So it should be observed for light waves as well as for sound waves.

• Sound waves require a medium , while light waves do not require any medium.

• Hence doppler effect for light depends only on relative velocity of observer and
• source.

• We can measure frequency either from the frame of source or frame of

• observer.
M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 1
• Let fo be the frequency of the source.

• This is the frequency that is measured by the observer in the rest frame of the
• Source.

• Let f be the frequency detected by the observer moving with velocity v,

• relative to that rest frame.

M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 2

• Consider a light source as a clock that ticks f o times per second and emits
• wave of light with each tick.
• As shown in the figure, for three cases frequency of light can be calculated as
follow.

• CASE : 1 observer moving perpendicular to the line between him and light
• source.

M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 3

• Time between the two ticks t o = 1/f o

• as the observer is moving

t0
• t=
v2
1 − 𝑐2

v2
1 − 𝑐2
1
• =
𝑡 t0

v2
• f = fo 1 −
𝑐2
• Thus the frequency f is always lower than the source frequency f 0
M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 4
• CASE : (2)
• Observer moving away from the source.
• Suppose the observer is moving with velocity V.
• So in time t he travels the distance Vt.( where t is the time between the two
• ticks.)
Vt
• So light waves take longer time to reach him. i.e. it takes .
𝐶

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• Total time taken between the arrival of successive waves is

Vt
•T=t+
𝐶
t0 V t0
• = +
v2
1 − 𝑐2 C v2
1 − 𝑐2

1+ V
• = to [ C ]
1− v 2
𝑐2

1+ V 𝑋 1+ V 1+ V
• = to C C = to C
1− V 𝑋 1+ V 1− V
C C C
M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 6
• Now the frequency f = 1/T

1 1− V
• So f = C
to
1+ V
C

1− V
• f = fo C
1+ V
C

• f is always lower than the source frequency f o .

• If source is moving away from the observer or
• observer is moving away from the source then f < f o .
M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 7
• CASE : 3
• Observer approaching the light source.
• Here the observer travels the distance Vt towards the distance between the
• ticks.
Vt
• Each wave takes less time to arrive than the previous one.
𝐶

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• Total time between the arrival of successive waves is

Vt
•T= t-
𝐶

t0 V t0
•T= -
v2
1 − 𝑐2 C 1 − v2
𝑐2

1− V
• = to [ C ]
1− v 2
𝑐2

1− V 𝑋 1− V 1− V
• = to C C = to C
1− V 𝑋 1+ V 1+ V
C C C
M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 9
• The frequency approaching is f = 1/T

1 1+ V
• So f = C
to
1−V
C

1+ V
• so f = f o C
1−V
C
• f is always greater than the frequency of the source.
• If source is moving closer to the observer or observer
• is moving closer to the source f is always greater than f o .

M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 10

• Visible light are electromagnetic waves with frequency range from
• 4.3 x 10 14 Hz (Red) to 7.5 x 10 14+ Hz ( for violet ).

• Star emits light of certain characteristic frequencies called spectral lines.

• Continuous observations of these spectral lines shows that its frequency

• changes.

• If the frequency increases, it can be said that the source is approaching the
• observer.
• The spectral lines in this case shifted towards violet region of visible light.
• So it is widely known as blue shift.
M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 11
• If the frequency decreases, then it can be said that the source is moving away
• from the observer.
• The spectral lines in this case shifted towards red region of visible light.
• So it is widely known as red shift.

• Doppler shifts in radar waves are used by police to measure speed of the
• Vehicle.
• Doppler shifts in radio waves emitted by earth satellite formed highly
• accurate transit system of marine navigation.

M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 12

EXAMPLES :
• (1) In Michelson- Morley experiment, the length of each arm is 12.5 m .If
• orbital velocity of the earth is 3 x 10 4 m s -1 and wavelength of light is 5000 A 0
• calculate the fringe displacement.

here L = 12.5 m, V = 3 x 10 4 m s -1 , c = = 3 x 10 8 m s -1, λ = 5000 A 0 =5000 x 10 -10

𝐿 𝑉2
• x= 2.
𝐶2 λ
•
2 x 12.5 x(3 x 10 4)2
• =
(3 x 10 8)2x 5000 x10 −10
•
• = 0.5 fringes.
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• (2) A rocket is propelled in the space with a velocity of 3 x 10 7 m s -1 .Find the
• relativistic contraction of its length . Find the % change also.

• According to Lorentz- fitz Gerald contraction

v2
• L = L0 (1 − )
𝑐2
(3 x 107)2
• = L0 1−
(3 x 10 8)2
1
• = L0 1−
100
99
• = L0
100
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• Decrease in length ,
• ∆ L = L0 – L

99
• = L0 - L0
100

• ∆ L = 0.0051 L 0

L G x 0.0051
• % decrease = x 100
L0
•
• = 0.51 %

M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 15

• EXAMPLE (2) :
• At what velocity, should a rocket be propelled in space so that its length when
• observed from ground would reduce to half of its original length?
L0
• Here we want L =
2

L0 v2
• = L0 1−
2 𝑐2
1 v2
• = = 1−
2 (3 x 10 8)2
•
• V = 2.6 x 10 8 m s -1

M. G. SCIENCE INSTITUTE AHMEDABAD YASHOMALA SHAH 16