Question: Police use radar guns and the Doppler effect to catch speeders. The figure illustrates a moving car approaching a stationary police car. A radar gun

Police use radar guns and the Doppler effect to catch speeders. The figure illustrates a moving car approaching a stationary police car. A radar gun emits an electromagnetic wave that reflects from the oncoming car. The reflected wave returns to the police car with a frequency (measured by on-board equipment) that is different from the emitted frequency. One such radar gun emits a wave whose frequency is 8.0 × 109 Hz. When the speed of the car is 39 m/s and the approach is essentially head-on, what is the difference between the frequency of the wave returning to the police car and that emitted by the radar gun?

Step by Step Solution

3.33 Rating (168 Votes )

There are 3 Steps involved in it

1 Expert Approved Answer
Step: 1 Unlock

REASONING As the car moves toward the wave emitted by the radar gun the car intercepts a greater number of wave crests per second than it would if it ... View full answer

blur-text-image
Question Has Been Solved by an Expert!

Get step-by-step solutions from verified subject matter experts

Step: 2 Unlock
Step: 3 Unlock

Students Have Also Explored These Related Physics 11th edition Questions!