Help in sound question and reflection question

In summary: MECHATRONICS OR NANO TECHNOLOGY?In summary, we discussed two scenarios - one involving avoiding a water balloon dropped from a balcony and the other involving observing total internal reflection underwater. We determined that in order to avoid the balloon, the bystanders must hear the warning before the balloon reaches them, and calculated the speed of sound in air at a temperature of 20 C to determine if this is possible. We also discussed the conditions necessary for total internal reflection to occur and how to calculate the critical angle using Snell's law. Lastly, we briefly discussed the fields of mechatronics and nanotechnology.
  • #1
the_little_guy
10
0
hello

:uhh: i have these questions that i don't know how or what to do :uhh:

:confused: Matt drops a water balloon from a balcony 15m up. As it falls, someone calls out 2.0 s after release to warn the bystanders below. If the air temperature is 20 C and the people can move instantly, will they be able to avoid being hit? :confused:

:yuck: While at the local swimming hole (pool) you fall off your flutterboard, and begin sinking to the bottom exactly 4.5m from the edge. Calculate how far you must sink below the surface in order for you to observe total internl reflection while staring at the edge. :confused:

if you can show me how or the steps or any formulas involved, it would be very helpful, thanks alot!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
the_little_guy said:
hello

:uhh: i have these questions that i don't know how or what to do :uhh:

:confused: Matt drops a water balloon from a balcony 15m up. As it falls, someone calls out 2.0 s after release to warn the bystanders below. If the air temperature is 20 C and the people can move instantly, will they be able to avoid being hit? :confused:

Imagine you are one such bystander. What are the events that must occur for you to avoid being hit ?

:yuck: While at the local swimming hole (pool) you fall off your flutterboard, and begin sinking to the bottom exactly 4.5m from the edge. Calculate how far you must sink below the surface in order for you to observe total internl reflection while staring at the edge. :confused:

Under what condition do you have total internal reflection ? What does your text say ?
 
  • #3
in the text there is a very similar question to the first one i have posted but it doesn't show you how to get it just the answer

and the second question

in the text i can only find information on the total internal reflection


the two conditions required for total internal reflection to occur are as follows

-the light must travel from an optically more dense medium into an optically less dense medium

-the angle of incidence must exceed the critical angle, theata c, associated with the material

(theata c or the critical angle)

than it has a model question on finding the critical angle for diamond which uses Snell's law
 
Last edited:
  • #4
also i don't know how the distance to the pool (4.5) will help me find how deep i must be to find or see the total internal reflection

another thing is that i tried doing the first question and i tried using the
Speed of Sound in Air formula

v= 331+ 0.59 Tc
 
Last edited:
  • #5
the_little_guy said:
in the text there is a very similar question to the first one i have posted but it doesn't show you how to get it just the answer

You won't learn the skill of thinking if you only try and mimic problems solved in your text.

What needs to happen for you to be able to avoid the water balloon ?

Answer this, and the equations will follow automatically.

and the second question

in the text i can only find information on the total internal reflection


the two conditions required for total internal reflection to occur are as follows

-the light must travel from an optically more dense medium into an optically less dense medium

Is this condition satisfied ? Are you inside the denser medium ?

-the angle of incidence must exceed the critical angle, theata c, associated with the material

(theata c or the critical angle)

than it has a model question on finding the critical angle for diamond which uses Snell's law
So, what is the relavant material here, for which you need to find [itex]\theta _c [/itex] ? Can you calculate it's critical angle using Snell's just, just as was done for diamond ?

Draw a picture. You are underwater. You are 4.5m from the edge of the pool. Your eyes are some depth d below the water. You are looking towards the edge of the pool (this is where light comes to you from). Label all the distances and agles. Having determined the required critical angle, you can use simple trig to find 'd'.
 
  • #6
yes i am in a denser medium, water looking to a less dense, air
i calculated and got 48.6 degrees
and i think the distance is 5.1 metres

for the first question i need to hear the guy warning me of the water balloon in order to avoid it

but then i need to know if the guy's warning can reach me before the water balloon does

and he gave the warning 2 seconds after the releasing of the water balloon
 
Last edited:
  • #7
the_little_guy said:
yes i am in a denser medium, water looking to a less dense, air
i calculated and got 48.6 degrees
and i think the distance is 5.1 metres
Perfect !

for the first question i need to hear the guy warning me of the water balloon in order to avoid it

In other words, the sound must reach you before the balloon. Agreed ?

How long will it take the balloon to fall ? And how much time will sound take to cover this distance ? You have the equation for the temperature dependence. Just plug in Tc = 20 and you get the required speed.
 
  • #8
i got the speed of 342.8 m/s
 
  • #9
but what do i do with this speed, this is where i got stuck

the guy started screaming 2 seconds after the balloon release
 
Last edited:
  • #10
thank you for the help provided, i will try to answer the rest on my own.
if i have a question again, i will seek your guidance.

i personal question, which sounds better? MECHATRONICS OR NANO TECHNOLOGY?
 
  • #11
the_little_guy said:
but what do i do with this speed, this is where i got stuck

the guy started screaming 2 seconds after the balloon release

Has the balloon already hit you, before these 2 seconds elapsed ? If it has, the warning is futile. If not, you may still have time to react.

So how long does it take for the water balloon to fall through 15m ? Is this time greater than 2s, or less ?

As for the other question : "Which sounds better ?". Do you literally mean "sounds better" as in, "has a nice ring to it", or are you asking about academic/career possibilities ?
 

1. What is the purpose of a sound question?

A sound question is designed to elicit a thoughtful response from someone, often to gain a deeper understanding or perspective on a topic. It can also be used to prompt critical thinking and reflection.

2. How do you formulate a good sound question?

A good sound question should be open-ended, meaning it cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. It should also be thought-provoking and relevant to the topic being discussed. It can be helpful to use phrases such as "how" or "why" to encourage a more detailed response.

3. What is the purpose of a reflection question?

A reflection question is used to prompt someone to think deeply about their experiences, thoughts, and feelings. It encourages self-awareness and can lead to personal growth and understanding.

4. How do you write an effective reflection question?

An effective reflection question should be specific and focused on a particular experience or topic. It should also be open-ended and encourage the person to explore their thoughts and emotions. It can be helpful to use phrases such as "describe" or "explain" to guide the response.

5. What is the difference between a sound question and a reflection question?

A sound question is typically used to gather information or opinions from someone, while a reflection question is used to prompt introspection and self-reflection. Sound questions are often focused on a specific topic, while reflection questions can be more broad and open-ended.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
4K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
6K
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
8
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
6K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
6K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
4K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
8
Views
5K
Back
Top