Ultrasonic waves from a ship hit a rock at the bottom of the sea and come back after 0.5 seconds. Calculate the distance to the rock from the ship in meters. Consider the speed of sound through seawater as 1522 m/second
Concept:
Propagation of Sound:
- The phenomenon due to which repetition of sound is heard after reflection from a distant object after the original sound from a given source dies out is called an echo.
- For hearing an echo, the minimum distance between the source of sound and reflecting body should be 17 m.
- The SONAR technique is used to determine the depth of the sea and to locate underwater hills, valleys, submarines, icebergs, sunken ships etc.
Calculation:
The formula – speed = distance/time
Time taken for the sound waves from the ship to the rock and then back to ship = 0.5 seconds
0.5 seconds = 2 x distance from the ship to rock
As the time taken for the sound wave from ship to rock and from rock to ship is the same
Distance from ship to rock = 0.5/2 = 0.25m/s
Speed of sound in water is 1522 m /sec
Distance = speed x time = 1522 x 0.25 =380.5m
Answer = 380.5m
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