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The Doppler Effect

The Doppler effect is a phenomenon where the frequency or wavelength of a wave, such as sound or light, is changed when the source of the wave is moving relative to the observer. This occurs due to changes in the distance between the source and observer over time as they move. The Doppler effect results in changes to pitch for sound waves and frequency or wavelength for light waves, and has applications in fields like astronomy, medicine, and measuring speeds and distances of objects in space.

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80 views1 page

The Doppler Effect

The Doppler effect is a phenomenon where the frequency or wavelength of a wave, such as sound or light, is changed when the source of the wave is moving relative to the observer. This occurs due to changes in the distance between the source and observer over time as they move. The Doppler effect results in changes to pitch for sound waves and frequency or wavelength for light waves, and has applications in fields like astronomy, medicine, and measuring speeds and distances of objects in space.

Uploaded by

Melissa Crain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Doppler effect, also known as the Doppler shift, is a phenomenon that occurs when a wave,

such as sound or light, is emitted by a moving source and observed by a stationary observer or

vice versa. The Doppler effect results in a change in the frequency or wavelength of the wave as

it is perceived by the observer.

In the case of sound waves, the Doppler effect can cause the pitch of a sound to change

as the source of the sound moves closer to or farther away from the observer. For example, if a

car with a siren is approaching an observer, the pitch of the siren will seem to increase as the

car gets closer, and then decrease as the car passes and moves away.

In the case of light waves, the Doppler effect can cause the frequency or wavelength of

the light to shift depending on the relative motion of the source and the observer. This can be

used to measure the speed and distance of objects in space, as well as to study the expansion

of the universe.

The Doppler effect is a widely studied phenomenon in physics and has applications in

many fields, including astronomy, medicine, and radar technology. It is an important concept in

the study of wave motion and has played a significant role in the development of our

understanding of the nature of waves and the properties of matter.

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