Distance from Flash: Soldier 20°C, 6 secs After Cannon Fire

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves calculating the distance from a soldier to a cannon based on the time it takes for the sound of the cannon to reach him after seeing the flash. The context includes the speed of sound at a specific temperature.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to apply the formula for distance using the speed of sound at 20 degrees Celsius and the time elapsed. Some participants question the validity of this approach and the assumptions regarding the speed of light.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring the implications of their assumptions. There is a suggestion to consider the negligible effect of light travel time, but no consensus has been reached on the approach to take.

Contextual Notes

The problem is constrained by the specific temperature given and the assumption that the speed of sound is affected by this temperature. Participants are also considering the relevance of light travel time in their reasoning.

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1. A soldier hears the sound of the firing of a distant cannon 6.00 seconds after seeing the flash. If the temperature is 20 degrees Celsius, how far is the soldier from the flash?



2. D = R * T



3. Since the speed of sound at 0 degrees Celsius is 330 m/s, the speed of sound at 20 degrees Celsius is 342 m/s.
With that being said, how do you find the distance? D = 342 * 6 ?
 
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Can anyone give me some insight?
 
Why are you unsure of your approach?
 
The only thing that could make this hard is if you wanted to take light into account. It takes some time for light to reach the soldier first, but its almost instant and makes no significant difference
 

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