Question 14 Marks
Two friends $A$ and $B$ are standing a distance $x$ apart in an open field and wind is blowing from $A$ to $B$.
A beats a drum and $B$ hears the sound $t_1$ time after he sees the event. $A$ and $B$ interchange their positions and the experiment is repeated. This time $B$ hears the drum $t_2$ time after he sees the event. Calculate the velocity of sound in still air $v$ and the velocity of wind $u$. Neglect the time light takes in travelling between the friends.
A beats a drum and $B$ hears the sound $t_1$ time after he sees the event. $A$ and $B$ interchange their positions and the experiment is repeated. This time $B$ hears the drum $t_2$ time after he sees the event. Calculate the velocity of sound in still air $v$ and the velocity of wind $u$. Neglect the time light takes in travelling between the friends.
Answer
View full question & answer→Velocity of sound $v,$ Velocity of air $u,$
Distance between $A$ and $B$ be $x$.
In the first case, resultant velocity of sound $\text{= v + u}$

$\Rightarrow(\text{v + u})\text{t}_1=\text{x}$
$\Rightarrow\text{v + u}=\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_1} \ ...(1)$
In the second case, resultant velocity of sound $=\text{v}-\text{u}$
$\therefore(\text{v}-\text{u})\text{t}_2=\text{x}$
$\Rightarrow\text{v}-\text{u}=\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_2} \ ...(2)$
From $(1)$ and $(2)$
$2\text{v}=\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_1}+\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_2}=\text{x}\Big(\frac{1}{\text{t}_1}+\frac{1}{\text{t}_2}\Big)$
$\Rightarrow\text{v}=\frac{\text{x}}{2}\Big(\frac{1}{\text{t}_1}+\frac{1}{\text{t}_2}\Big)$
From $(1)$
$\text{u}=\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_1}-\text{v}=\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_1}-\Big(\frac{\text{x}}{2\text{t}_1}+\frac{\text{x}}{2\text{t}_2}\Big)=\frac{\text{x}}{2}\Big(\frac{1}{\text{t}_1}-\frac{1}{\text{t}_2}\Big)$
$\therefore$ Velocity of air $\text{ V}=\frac{\text{x}}{2}\Big(\frac{1}{\text{t}_1}+\frac{1}{\text{t}_2}\Big)$
And Velocity of wind $\text{u}=\frac{\text{x}}{2}\Big(\frac{1}{\text{t}_1}-\frac{1}{\text{t}_2}\Big)$
Distance between $A$ and $B$ be $x$.
In the first case, resultant velocity of sound $\text{= v + u}$

$\Rightarrow(\text{v + u})\text{t}_1=\text{x}$
$\Rightarrow\text{v + u}=\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_1} \ ...(1)$
In the second case, resultant velocity of sound $=\text{v}-\text{u}$
$\therefore(\text{v}-\text{u})\text{t}_2=\text{x}$
$\Rightarrow\text{v}-\text{u}=\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_2} \ ...(2)$
From $(1)$ and $(2)$
$2\text{v}=\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_1}+\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_2}=\text{x}\Big(\frac{1}{\text{t}_1}+\frac{1}{\text{t}_2}\Big)$
$\Rightarrow\text{v}=\frac{\text{x}}{2}\Big(\frac{1}{\text{t}_1}+\frac{1}{\text{t}_2}\Big)$
From $(1)$
$\text{u}=\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_1}-\text{v}=\frac{\text{x}}{\text{t}_1}-\Big(\frac{\text{x}}{2\text{t}_1}+\frac{\text{x}}{2\text{t}_2}\Big)=\frac{\text{x}}{2}\Big(\frac{1}{\text{t}_1}-\frac{1}{\text{t}_2}\Big)$
$\therefore$ Velocity of air $\text{ V}=\frac{\text{x}}{2}\Big(\frac{1}{\text{t}_1}+\frac{1}{\text{t}_2}\Big)$
And Velocity of wind $\text{u}=\frac{\text{x}}{2}\Big(\frac{1}{\text{t}_1}-\frac{1}{\text{t}_2}\Big)$

