Calculating the Distance of a Sonar Echo

[rootdawg56]

Homework Statement

A sonar echo returns to a submarine 1.10s after being emitted. What is the distance to the object creating the echo?

Homework Equations

rate X time = distance

The Attempt at a Solution

( 1533m/s X 1.01s) divided by 2 = distance

 

[jedishrfu]

It looks like you're on the right track. What answer did you get?

So what is your question?

 

[rootdawg56]

The answer I came up with 744.165m

 

[BvU]

I take it the 1533 m/s is the speed of sound under water ? If so, you should mention it under 'given/known' data. That prevents we have to guess after what you were given to do the exercise.

As a physicist, I would say that the 1.10 s has three significant digits at most. So the answer shouldn't have more than 3 digits, (max 4 if the first is a 1).

 

[jedishrfu]

I take it the 1533 m/s is the speed of sound under water ? If so, you should mention it under 'given/known' data. That prevents we have to guess after what you were given to do the exercise.

As a physicist, I would say that the 1.10 s has three significant digits at most. So the answer shouldn't have more than 3 digits, (max 4 if the first is a 1).

To be even more accurate in the real world, you'd need to specify the depth, the temperate and salinity too but that's beyond the scope of this problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underwater_acoustics