University Physics with Modern Physics (14th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321973615
ISBN 13: 978-0-32197-361-0

Chapter 16 - Sound and Hearing - Problems - Discussion Questions - Page 538: Q16.25

Answer

Observer A hears nothing. Observer B hears a sonic boom. Observer C has already heard the sonic boom, and now hears the Doppler-shifted sound of the airplane moving away.

Work Step by Step

This is explained on pages 534-535. The plane is outrunning its own sound waves, so observer A has not received any sound waves. The supersonic object forms a cone of shock waves around the direction of motion. As explained on page 534, this shock wave cone moves along with the source. Observer B hears the sonic boom when the shock wave reaches that location. Observer C has already heard the sonic boom, and now hears the Doppler-shifted sound of the airplane moving away.
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