18IB Doppler [21 marks]

1. Sea waves move towards a beach at a constant speed of 2.0 m s–1. They [1 mark]
arrive at the beach with a frequency of 0.10 Hz. A girl on a surfboard is
moving in the sea at right angles to the wave fronts. She observes that the
surfboard crosses the wave fronts with a frequency of 0.40 Hz.

What is the speed of the surfboard and what is the direction of motion of the
surfboard relative to the beach?

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
2. A train approaches a station and sounds a horn of constant frequency and [1 mark]
constant intensity. An observer waiting at the station detects a frequency
fobs and an intensity Iobs. What are the changes, if any, in Iobs and fobs as the train
slows down?

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
An unusual way of considering the Doppler effect, this had a very low
discrimination index with the most popular answer A when D was correct. It is
likely the candidates have confused what the train is producing – a constant
intensity sound – and what the observer hears, Io, where the intensity is going
to increase as the train approaches. This immediately eliminates options A and
C.
3. An ambulance siren emits a sound of frequency 1200 Hz. The speed of [1 mark]
–1
sound in air is 330 m s . The ambulance moves towards a stationary
observer at a constant speed of 40 m s–1. What is the frequency heard by the
observer?

1200×330
A. 370
Hz
1200×290
B. 330
Hz
1200×370
C. 330
Hz
1200×330
D. 290
Hz

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]

4. A stationary sound source emits waves of wavelength λ and speed v. The [1 mark]
source now moves away from a stationary observer. What are the
wavelength and speed of the sound as measured by the observer?

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]
5. A train moving at speed u relative to the ground, sounds a whistle of [1 mark]
constant frequency f as it moves towards a vertical cliff face.

The sound from the whistle reaches the cliff face and is reflected back to the train.
The speed of sound in stationary air is c.
What whistle frequency is observed on the train after the reflection?
(c+u)
A. f
(c−u)
B. (c + u)f
C. (c – u)f
(c−u)
D. f
(c+u)

Markscheme
A

Examiners report
[N/A]

6. A train travelling in a straight line emits a sound of constant frequency f. [1 mark]

An observer at rest very close to the path of the train detects a sound of
continuously decreasing frequency. The train is
A. approaching the observer at constant speed.
B. approaching the observer at increasing speed.
C. moving away from the observer at constant speed.
D. moving away from the observer at increasing speed.
 Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]

7a. Police use radar to detect speeding cars. A police officer stands at the [6 marks]
side of the road and points a radar device at an approaching car. The
device emits microwaves which reflect off the car and return to the device. A
change in frequency between the emitted and received microwaves is measured
at the radar device.
The frequency change Δ f is given by

2fv
Δf =
c
where f is the transmitter frequency, v is the speed of the car and c is the wave
speed.
The following data are available.
Transmitter frequency f = 40 GHz Δf = 9.5 kHz Maximum speed allowed = 28 m s–
1

(i) Explain the reason for the frequency change.

(ii) Suggest why there is a factor of 2 in the frequency-change equation.
(iii) Determine whether the speed of the car is below the maximum speed allowed.
Markscheme
i
mention of Doppler effect
OR
«relative» motion between source and observer produces
frequency/wavelength change
Accept answers which refer to a double frequency shift.
Award [0] if there is any suggestion that the wave speed is changed in the
process.

the reflected waves come from an approaching “source”

OR
the incident waves strike an approaching “observer”
increased frequency received «by the device or by the car»

ii
the car is a moving “observer” and then a moving “source”, so the Doppler
effect occurs twice
OR
the reflected radar appears to come from a “virtual image” of the device
travelling at 2 v towards the device

iii
ALTERNATIVE 1
For both alternatives, allow ecf to conclusion if v OR Δf are incorrectly
calculated.
(3×108)×(9.5×103)
v=« =» 36 «ms–1»
(40×109)×2

«36> 28» so car exceeded limit

There must be a sense of a conclusion even if numbers are not quoted.
ALTERNATIVE 2
reverse argument using speed limit.
9
Δf = « 2×40×108×28 =» 7500 «Hz»
3×10
« 9500> 7500» so car exceeded limit
There must be a sense of a conclusion even if numbers are not quoted.

Examiners report
[N/A]
7b. Airports use radar to track the position of aircraft. The waves are [2 marks]
reflected from the aircraft and detected by a large circular receiver. The
receiver must be able to resolve the radar images of two aircraft flying close to
each other.
The following data are available.
Diameter of circular radar receiver = 9.3 m Wavelength of radar = 2.5 cm
Distance of two aircraft from the airport = 31 km

Calculate the minimum distance between the two aircraft when their images can
just be resolved.

Markscheme
31×103×1.22×2.5×10−2
x= 9.3
Award [2] for a bald correct answer.
Award [1 max] for POT error.
100 «m»
Award [1 max] for 83m (omits 1.22).

Examiners report
[N/A]
8. A train moves at constant speed whilst emitting a sound wave of [1 mark]
frequency f0. At t=t0 the train passes through a station. Which graph
shows the variation with time t of the frequency f of the sound wave as measured
by an observer standing on the station platform?

Markscheme
D

Examiners report
[N/A]
9. An object emitting a sound of frequency 100 Hz orbits in a horizontal [1 mark]
circle at a rate of two revolutions per second.

An observer standing a short distance away from the object is able to hear the
sound. Which of the following describes the sound the observer is able to hear?
A. A sound of constant frequency but varying in amplitude
B. A sound of constantly varying frequency
C. A sound with a frequency of 50 Hz
D. A sound with a frequency of 200 Hz

Markscheme
B

Examiners report
[N/A]
 This question is about the Doppler effect.
The diagram shows wavefronts in air produced by a stationary source S of sound.
The distance between successive wavefronts is equal to the wavelength of the
sound. The speed of sound is c.

10a. On the diagram, sketch three successive wavefronts produced when S [2 marks]
is moving to the left at a speed of 0.5 c.
Markscheme
3 circular wavefronts;
2 centres/sources of wavefronts move left (by one box);

Drawn circular wavefronts may be larger as in diagram here, or could be equal

sized. Both are acceptable.

Examiners report
[N/A]
 10b. A source of X-rays rotates on a turntable. Radiation of wavelength 7.5 [3 marks]
nm is emitted by the source and undergoes a maximum shift of 0.50
fm. The distance between the source and the detector is large in comparison to
the diameter of the turntable.

(i) Determine the speed of a point on the edge of the turntable.

(ii) State the assumption you made in your answer to (b)(i).

Markscheme
5×10−16×3×108
(i) v= ;
7.5×10−9
20(ms-1);
Use of sound equation not acceptable.
(ii) assume speed of X-rays = c / assume speed of turntable << c;

Examiners report
[N/A]

© International Baccalaureate Organization 2020

International Baccalaureate® - Baccalauréat International® - Bachillerato Internacional®
Printed for Jyvaskylan Lyseon
lukio