Speed of a helicopter determined by sonar

  • Thread starter Thread starter raman911
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Helicopter Speed
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
3 replies · 4K views
raman911
Messages
130
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



A helicopter flies directly toward a vertical cliff. when the helicopter is 700 m from the cliff face it transmits a sonar signal. it recives the reflected signal 3.4 s later. if the signal travels at a wind speed 350m/s, what is the speed of the helicopter.

The Attempt at a Solution



250*3.4= 1190 m
please help me what i need to do next? i spend 1 hour on it i did n't get answer.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
How far did the signal travel in 3.4s?
If the helicopter was stationary it would have to have traveled 2*700=1400m
How much less did it travel?
The helicopter must have traveled that far in 3.4s
 
mgb_phys said:
How far did the signal travel in 3.4s?
If the helicopter was stationary it would have to have traveled 2*700=1400m
How much less did it travel?
The helicopter must have traveled that far in 3.4s

what u mean by 2*700?
 
The distance the sound would have to travel 700m to the cliff and 700m back to the helicopter = 1400m if the helicopter was stationary.
In fact it only goes 3.4*350 = 1190m so the helicopter must have moved how much closer?