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  • For sound waves, the Doppler formula for frequency shift differs slightly between the two situations:

    (i) source at rest; observer moving, and

    (ii) source moving; observer at rest.

    The exact Doppler formulas for the case of light waves in vacuum are, however, strictly identical for these situations. Explain why this should be so. Would you expect the formulas to be strictly identical for the two situations in case of light travelling in a medium?

For sound waves, the Doppler formula for | Class 12 Physics Chapter Wave Optics, Wave Optics NCERT Solutions

Q15.

For sound waves, the Doppler formula for frequency shift differs slightly between the two situations:

(i) source at rest; observer moving, and

(ii) source moving; observer at rest.

The exact Doppler formulas for the case of light waves in vacuum are, however, strictly identical for these situations. Explain why this should be so. Would you expect the formulas to be strictly identical for the two situations in case of light travelling in a medium?

Sound waves require a material medium for propagation. That is why situation (i) and (ii) are not identical physically though relative motion between the source and the observer is the same in the two cases. Infact, relative motion of the observer relative to the medium is different in the two situations. That is why Doppler’s formulae for sound are different in the two cases.

For light waves travelling in vacuum, there is nothing to distinguish between the two situations. That is why the formulae are strictly identical.

For light propagating in a medium, situations (i) and (ii) are not identical. The formulae governing the two situations would obviously be different.

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What is the correct answer to: For sound waves, the Doppler formula for frequency shift differs slightly between the two situations: (i) source at rest; observer moving, and (ii) source moving; observer at rest. The exact Doppler formulas for the case of light waves in vacuum are, however, strictly identical for these situations. Explain why this should be so. Would you expect the formulas to be strictly identical for the two situations in case of light travelling in a medium??

Sound waves require a material medium for propagation. That is why situation (i) and (ii) are not identical physically though relative motion between the source and the observer is the same in the two cases. Infact, rela...

How do you solve For sound waves, the Doppler formula for frequency shift differs slightly between the two situations: (i) source at rest; observer moving, and (ii) source moving; observer at rest. The exact Doppler formulas for the case of light waves in vacuum are, however, strictly identical for these situations. Explain why this should be so. Would you expect the formulas to be strictly identical for the two situations in case of light travelling in a medium? step by step?

Step-by-step explanation:
• Sound waves require a material medium for propagation
• That is why situation (i) and (ii) are not identical physically though relative motion between the source and the observer is the same in the two cases
• Infact, relative motion of the observer relative to the medium is different in the two situations
• That is why Doppler’s formulae for sound are different in the two cases

What common mistakes should be avoided in this question?

Students often lose marks by skipping steps, writing incomplete explanations, or misunderstanding keywords used in the question.

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