Question

Numerical problems:

An echo returned in 3s. What is the distance of the reflecting surface from the source given that the speed of sound is 330 ms^-1?

Answer 1

Speed of sound, v = 330 ms^-1
Time of the echo, t = 3s.
Total distance travelled by the sound 2d = v × t = 330 × 3
2d = 990 m.
2d = Distance from source to reflecting surface + distance from reflecting surface to the listener.
So, distance from the source to the reflected surface =  `"Total distance"/ 2`
=` "2d"/2`
Distance of the reflecting surface from the source = `990/2`
= 495m