$A$ car travelling at a speed of $54 \ km/h$ towards a wall sounds a horn of frequency $400 \ Hz$. The difference in the frequencies of two sounds, one received directly from the car and the other reflected from the wall, noticed by a person standing between the car and the wall is (speed of sound in air is $335 \ m/s$):

  • A
    $35.9 \ Hz$
  • B
    $20 \ Hz$
  • C
    $70 \ Hz$
  • D
    $35.9 \ Hz$ (Wait, let's calculate: $v_s = 54 \ km/h = 15 \ m/s$, $v = 335 \ m/s$, $f = 400 \ Hz$. Direct sound frequency $f_1 = f = 400 \ Hz$. Reflected sound frequency $f_2 = f \times \frac{v}{v - v_s} = 400 \times \frac{335}{335 - 15} = 400 \times \frac{335}{320} = 418.75 \ Hz$. Difference $= 418.75 - 400 = 18.75 \ Hz$. Since $18.75 \ Hz$ is not in options, let's re-evaluate. If the observer is between the car and wall, the direct sound is $f_1 = f \times \frac{v}{v - v_s}$ and reflected is $f_2 = f \times \frac{v}{v - v_s}$. The difference is zero. Wait, the observer is stationary. Direct sound $f_1 = f \times \frac{v}{v - v_s}$. Reflected sound $f_2 = f \times \frac{v}{v - v_s}$. The difference is $0$. Let's re-read: 'person standing between the car and the wall'. The car is moving towards the wall. The person hears direct sound from the car (source moving towards observer) and reflected sound from the wall (wall acts as a source moving towards observer). Both frequencies are the same. Difference is Zero.

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$A$ train,standing in a station-yard,blows a whistle of frequency $400\; Hz$ in still air. The wind starts blowing in the direction from the yard to the station with a speed of $10\; m s^{-1}$. What are the frequency,wavelength,and speed of sound for an observer standing on the station's platform? Is the situation exactly identical to the case when the air is still and the observer runs towards the yard at a speed of $10\; m s^{-1}$? The speed of sound in still air can be taken as $340\; m s^{-1}$.

$A$ person observes two moving trains. The first reaches the station and the second leaves the station,both with an equal speed of $30 \ m/s$. If both trains emit sounds of frequency $300 \ Hz$,what is the difference in frequencies heard by the person (in $Hz$)? (Speed of sound in air $= 330 \ m/s$)

$A$ source of sound of frequency $n$ is moving towards a stationary observer with a speed $S$. If the speed of sound in air is $V$ and the frequency heard by the observer is $n_1$,the value of $n_1/n$ is

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