Calculate distance from expolision - Waves

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jason17
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Waves
AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around calculating the distance from an underground nuclear explosion based on the time difference between the reception of P and S waves. The interval between the waves is 68 seconds, with P waves traveling at 7800 m/s and S waves at 4200 m/s. Participants clarify that the 68 seconds is not a frequency but the time difference in wave reception. The correct approach involves using the equations of motion for constant speed to find the distances traveled by each wave. Ultimately, the solution leads to a calculated distance of 620 km from the explosion site.
Jason17
Messages
7
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


A recording station observed that there was an interval of 68s between the reception of P (push or primary) waves and S (shake or secondary waves) from an underground nuclear test explosion.
The speed of P and S waves in the Earths crust are 7800 ms^-1 and 4200 ms^-1, respectively.

Calculate the distance of the test site from the explosion


Homework Equations


Speed = Frequency x wavelength (v=fλ)
Speed of electromagnetic radiation = 3 x 10^8 ms^-1
Speed of sound in air 340 ms^-1
Speed of sound in water and sea water = 1500 ms^-1

The Attempt at a Solution


So I am using this formula:
Speed = Frequency x wavelength (v=fλ)
I have the speed, 7800 & 4200 and its frequency i believe? is 68 seconds

Im trying to find the distance (is this the wavelength?)
Wavelength= Speed/Frequency

The answer is 620 km. Which i cannot get to :\

Help appreciated, ty in advance
 
Physics news on Phys.org


You don't really need any of the formulas that you wrote.
You know the speed already.
68s is not frequency but the time difference between the detection of the two waves.

Just use the equation for motion with constant speed for each one of the waves.
 


sorry, i don't understand what your trying to say.

Equation of motion?
S=u.t + 0.5.a.t^2 ?
or
S=(u+v)/2 . t?

I still can't get to 620km :(
 


No, the wave has constant speed.
So it's just
d=u1*t1
and
d=u2*t2

where d is the distance between source and receptor and t1, t2 are the propagation times for the two waves.
You don't know t1 and t2 but you know the difference, t1-t2=68 s.
Can you solve the problem now? You need to find d.
 
TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...
Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'
Starting with the mass considerations #m(t)# is mass of water #M_{c}# mass of container and #M(t)# mass of total system $$M(t) = M_{C} + m(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{dM(t)}{dt} = \frac{dm(t)}{dt}$$ $$P_i = Mv + u \, dm$$ $$P_f = (M + dm)(v + dv)$$ $$\Delta P = M \, dv + (v - u) \, dm$$ $$F = \frac{dP}{dt} = M \frac{dv}{dt} + (v - u) \frac{dm}{dt}$$ $$F = u \frac{dm}{dt} = \rho A u^2$$ from conservation of momentum , the cannon recoils with the same force which it applies. $$\quad \frac{dm}{dt}...
Back
Top