What is the Beat Frequency in Doppler Ultrasound Measurements?

In summary, Doppler ultrasound is used to measure the speed of blood flow and the reflected sound produces beats with the emitted sound. The formula for the reflected frequency is fr = f x (1 + v/u) / (1 − v/u). Using this formula, the beat frequency can be calculated by putting the numbers in the equation. The equation for two waves interfering with each other can be found in course notes or by searching for "beat frequency".
  • #1
alwayslearnin
1
0
Doppler ultrasound is used to measure the speed of blood flow. If the speed of the red blood cells is v, the speed of sound in blood is u, the ultrasound source emits waves of frequency f, and we assume that the blood cells are moving directly toward the ultrasound source, then the frequency fr of reflected waves detected by the apparatus is given by the formula below.
fr =
f
x
(1 + v/u) / (1 − v/u)

The reflected sound interferes with the emitted sound, producing beats. If the speed of red blood cells is 0.12 m/s, the ultrasound frequency used is 4.3 MHz, and the speed of sound in blood is 1570 m/s, what is the beat frequency?

____ Hz


I try to put it in the equation I got it wrong and my previous answers were wrong too:

2.45 4.34 and 329
 
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  • #2
Putting the numbers into the equation you wrote above will tell you the reflected frequency. So you have two waves with frequency f and fr interfering with each other ... you have an equation for that situation in your course notes (or just google for "beat frequency"). What is it?
 

1. What is the beat frequency?

The beat frequency is the difference between two sound waves with different frequencies. It is perceived as a pulsing or throbbing sound.

2. How is the beat frequency calculated?

The beat frequency can be calculated by subtracting the lower frequency from the higher frequency. For example, if one sound wave has a frequency of 300 Hz and the other has a frequency of 400 Hz, the beat frequency would be 100 Hz.

3. What is the significance of finding the beat frequency?

Finding the beat frequency can be useful in music and sound engineering as it can help identify the difference between two close frequencies and can also be used to tune instruments.

4. How can the beat frequency be used in experiments?

The beat frequency can be used in experiments to study the effects of sound interference and to measure the accuracy of frequency detection by the human ear.

5. Can the beat frequency be heard by the human ear?

Yes, the beat frequency can be heard by the human ear as a pulsing or throbbing sound. It is most noticeable when the two sound waves have frequencies within 10-20 Hz of each other.

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