Doppler Effect

Doppler Effect
• When a source of mechanical wave, or an observer, or both, are in motion
relative to the medium in which the wave propagates, the frequency measured
by the observer (fo) would differ from that emitted by the source (fs). This is
called the Doppler effect.
• The most common example is that the sound of a vehicle’s horn changes as the
vehicle moves past you. The pitch drops as the vehicle approaches you and
then leaves you.
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• Doppler effect originates from following facts

- The speed of a mechanical wave is constant relative to the medium and
independent of the motion of the source.
- The frequency of a source fs is the number of complete waves generated by the
source per unit time.
- The frequency perceived by an observer fo is the number of complete waves
received by the observer per unit time.
 Moving Observer
• speed of observer (O) = uo
• speed of source (S) = 0 (at rest) wavefronts drawn
• wavelength of sound wave =  by joining adjacent
• speed of sound wave = v compressions

uo

S
O

• For the sound wave, v  f s 

• As O is moving towards S, the speed of the compressions relative to O is v+uo. Hence
the frequency fo with which the compressions arrive at O (i.e. the frequency of O hears)
is v  u o v  uo  v  uo 
fo    fo    fs a higher pitch is heard!
 v / fs  v 
• Similarly, if O is moving away from S, we can prove that
 v  uo 
fo    fs a lower pitch is heard!
 v 
 Moving Source
• For the sound wave, T  1 / f s
S wavefronts drawn
• During one period T, the by joining adjacent
compression emitted at t=0 compressions
O
and S move through distances
of vT and usT respectively. At v
t=T, S is about to emit the
next compression. Hence the
apparent wavelength ’ for O • speed of observer (O) = 0 (at rest)
is v  us • speed of source (S) = us
 '  v  u s T  us
fs • speed of sound wave = v
simulation!
• period of sound wave = T
• Hence the frequency fo heard
by O is location of compression
v  v  location of
emitted at t=0
fo   f o    f s S at t = 0 S at t = T
'  v  u s  us
a higher pitch is heard! O
• Similarly, if S is moving
away from O, we can prove
that u sT ’=(v - us)T
 v 
f o    f s a lower pitch is heard! vT
 v  us 
 Moving Source or Observer
• If either the observer or the source moves, we have
 v  uo   v 
fo    f s OR f o    f s
 v   v  us 
where the upper (lower) signs correspond to the case that the source and the
observer move towards (away from) each other.
• It is obvious that
fo > fs if the source or the observer
approach each other
fo < fs if the source or the observer
move away from each other
• If both are moving… (for
reference only)
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 Class Work 1
A sound wave of frequency 300 Hz is emitted towards an approaching car. The
wave is reflected from the car and is then received back at the emitter at a
frequency of 315 Hz. What is the velocity of the car? (Take the speed of sound
to be 340 m s-1.)
 Class Work 2
A train with a 500 Hz siren on is moving at a constant speed of 8.0 m s-1 in a
straight line. An observer is in front of the train and off its line of motion.
Sketch how the frequency perceived by the observer changes with time?
(Take the speed of sound to be 340 m s-1.)
 Doppler Effect for Light
• Although the Doppler effect is most
typically experienced with sound
waves, it is a phenomenon that is
common to all waves. For example,
the relative motion of source and
observer produces a frequency shift
in light waves. However, the
Doppler relation for EM waves is
different from that for sound as no
medium is needed for EM waves.
• It can be proved that if the speed of the observer relative to the source is v, then
f f  f S v
 O  if v << c!
fS fS c
where c is the speed of light in vacuum and the + (-) sign corresponds to the
case that the source and the observer move towards (away from) each other.
 Applications of Doppler Effect
• A receding light source causes fo<fs, so a particular spectral
line is shifted towards the red part of the spectrum. The red
shift of the light spectra emitted from distant stars,
compared to those from the stars in our galaxy, suggests that
the universe is expanding. web link!

Redshift of spectral lines in the

optical spectrum of a supercluster
of distant galaxies (right), as
compared to that of the Sun
(left).
• A radar speed detector is simply a radio transmitter and receiver. It sends out a
radio signal to a moving object and then detects the reflected signal. Due to
Doppler effect, the reflected wave has a frequency slightly different from that of
the original signal. The difference can be used to estimate the speed of the object.
web link!
 Applications of Doppler Effect
• The flow rate of blood can be measured with ultrasound using the Doppler
effect. Ultrasonic beam is transmitted towards a blood vessel. The change in
freq. of the beam reflected by the blood cells is detected by the receiver and
used to calculate the flow rate of blood in the vessel. The method is non-
invasive.
 Class Work 3
Hydrogen atoms in a distant galaxy emit light of wavelength 658 nm. The light
received on earth is measured to have a wavelength of 689 nm. State
whether the galaxy is approaching the earth or moving away, and calculate the
speed of the galaxy. (Take the speed of light to be 3.0108 m s-1.)