Derivation of Doppler Effect Equations

In summary, the conversation discusses the derivation of Doppler's equations and specifically focuses on the use of vt + vDt in the equations. The person asking for help is confused about the sign of vDt and the concept of how far the wavefront has to travel to reach the observer. Another person offers an explanation using the analogy of two people running towards each other.
  • #1
Pseudo Statistic
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Hey,
I need a bit of help with the derivation of Doppler's equations as shown in the attached image. (From Fundamentals of Physics)
The paragraph where it states "Now let us again consider the situation..."
I don't understand why they use vt + vDt
I mean, the sound wave would initially have to travel a distance vt to where the observer was, but then the observer D would be moving to the left towards it at velocity vD...
And in a time t, the person would have already traveled a distance vDt to the left, so wouldn't that have to make it -vDt which would indicate that the sound wave has less distance to travel? Or am I totally missing the point?
And the same goes for the second derivation, wouldn't it be + in that case?

I don't know, I totally lack the understanding of what's going on...
I'd really appreciate it if someone could explain this a bit... as I'm not really accustomed to just remembering the formula.

Thanks for any help.
 

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  • #2
...bump...
 
  • #3
Think this way: How far away is the wavefront if the observer meets the wavefront in time t? The total distance is the sum of how far the wavefront traveled ([itex]vt[/itex]) plus how far the observer traveled ([itex]v_D t[/itex]). (True, the wavefront doesn't have to travel the entire distance to reach the observer. If it did, it would take longer than just t.)

Just like if two people run towards each other, they cover more distance between them faster.
 

What is the Doppler Effect?

The Doppler Effect is the perceived change in frequency of a wave when the source of the wave is moving relative to the observer. This effect is commonly observed with sound waves, where a higher frequency is perceived when the source is moving towards the observer and a lower frequency is perceived when the source is moving away.

What are the equations for Doppler Effect?

The equations for Doppler Effect depend on whether the source is moving towards or away from the observer. For a source moving towards the observer, the frequency observed, f', is given by f' = f(v + vs) / (v + vo), where f is the frequency of the source, v is the speed of the wave, vs is the speed of the source, and vo is the speed of the observer. For a source moving away from the observer, the equation is f' = f(v - vs) / (v - vo).

What is the derivation of the Doppler Effect equations?

The derivation of the Doppler Effect equations involves using the principles of wave motion, the relative velocity formula, and the formula for frequency. By considering the motion of the source and observer, as well as the wave itself, we can derive the equations for both the source moving towards and away from the observer.

What are some real-life applications of the Doppler Effect?

The Doppler Effect has many practical applications, including in radar technology, where it is used to detect the speed and location of moving objects. It is also used in medical imaging, such as ultrasound, to measure blood flow and diagnose heart conditions. Additionally, the Doppler Effect is utilized in astronomy to study the movement of celestial bodies and determine their speed and direction of motion.

How does the Doppler Effect relate to the speed of light?

The Doppler Effect can also be applied to electromagnetic waves, such as light. However, because the speed of light is constant, the observed change in frequency is due to the relative motion of the source and observer. This is known as the relativistic Doppler Effect and is described by a different set of equations, which take into account the effects of time dilation and length contraction at high speeds.

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