
Note that the equations are the same as when the source is moving toward you, except that the "−" sign is replaced by a "+" sign to indicate the change in direction of the source. When the source of sound is moving away from you, the pitch you hear is lower, the frequency is slower and the wavelength is longer than what was emitted from the source.

In other words, the frequency you hear is about 682 Hz higher than the actual sound of the horn. You can also round off numbers to get an answer that is close enough for all practical purposes.Ĭonvert kilometers per hour to meters per second:į o = fc/(c − v t) = 8000*340/(340 − 26.7) Note that the units of speed must all be the same in the equation. If a vehicle is coming toward you at 96 km/hr (60 miles per hour) and sounds its horn that blares at 8000 Hz, what is the frequency of the sound you hear when the speed of sound is 340 m/s (1115 ft/s)? If you know the resulting frequency, you can find the speed of the source moving toward you: The Doppler frequency equation is sometimes written as: In such as case, you would be dividing by 0, which is impossible. Note that this equation does not work if the speed of the source is equal to the speed of sound. Since we use v S as the velocity of the source, using c as the velocity of sound avoids confusion. Note: Although c is usually denoted as the speed of light, it is also often used as the speed or velocity of sound. v S is the velocity of the source toward you.The equation for the observed frequency of sound when the source is traveling toward you is: ( See Traveling Faster than Sound for more information.) Observed frequency

An aircraft flying at the speed of sound or greater creates a sonic boom, which is a different effect. Note that the speed of the source must be less than the speed of sound. When the source of sound is moving toward you, the pitch you hear is higher than what was emitted from the source and the wavelength is shorter than emitted.

SfC Home > Physics > Wave Motion > Sound Waves > Doppler Effect Equations for Sound
