WAVES & SOUND · LAB 13

Doppler-effect simulator

Move the source and observer to see wavefronts compress, stretch and form a Mach cone. Hear how relative motion changes the observed pitch.

SIMULATIONRUNNINGSHIFTHIGHERTIME0.0 s

Drag the source or observer to reposition it

Speed 1×

OBSERVED FREQUENCY—

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WAVELENGTH—

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RELATIVE RADIAL SPEED—

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MACH NUMBER—

subsonic

FREQUENCY HISTORY—

WHAT TO NOTICE

Motion changes wave spacing

A source moving towards an observer emits each crest from a closer position, compressing the wavefronts and raising the observed frequency. Behind it, the wavefronts spread apart and the pitch falls.

fₒ = fₛ(v+vₒ)/(v−vₛ)