Mechanical Vibration Acoustics Mechanics

Acoustic Doppler effect 1.5.04-01/11

What you can learn about

 Propagation of sound waves
 Doppler shift of frequency

Principle:
If a source of sound is in motion rel-
ative to its medium of propagation,
the frequency of the waves that are
emitted is displaced due to the
Doppler effect.

Set-up of experiment P2150411 with Cobra3

What you need:

Movement toward Movement away from
Experiment P2150411 with Cobra3 the sound source the sound source
Experiment P2150401 with yt recorder v /m/s 0.162 0.157
Power frequency generator 1 MHz 13650.93 1 v /m/s 0.159 0.156
tY recorder, 1 channel 11414.95 1
v /m/s 0.158 0.157
Meter scale, demo, l = 1000 mm 03001.00 1
Stopwatch, digital, 1/100 sec. 03071.01 1 v /m/s 0.159 0.156
Measuring microphone 03542.00 1 1* Mean
Battery, 9 V, 6 F 22 DIN 40871 07496.10 1 1 v /m/s 0.160 0.157
Sound head 03524.00 2 1 Mean
Car, motor driven 11061.00 1 1 fmeasured/Hz 16199 16184
Attachment for car 11061.02 1 1 fcalculated/Hz 16199.6 16184.5
Round cell, 1.5 V, R 14 DIN 40865 (for car) 07922.01 2 2
Barrel base -PASS- 02006.55 2 2
Table
Stand tube 02060.00 1 1
Connecting cord, l = 100 cm, yellow 07363.02 2 1
Connecting cord, l = 150 cm, blue 07364.04 2 2 Tasks:
Track, l = 900 mm 11606.00 1 The frequency changes are measured
Connecting cord, l = 150 cm, red 07364.01 2 and analysed for different relative
velocities of source and observer.
Connecting cord, l = 10 cm, red 07359.01 1
Cobra3 Basic Unit 12150.00 1
Power supply, 12 V- 12151.99 1
RS232 data cable 14602.00 1
*Alternative
Cobra3 Timer / Counter Software 14511.61 1
Microphone with amplifier 03543.00 1
Function generator 13652.93 1
Electrode holder 45284.01 1
Plug with socket and crosshole, 2 07206.01 1
Support 09906.00 1
Screen with plug, l = 100 mm 11202.03 1
Connecting cord, l = 25 cm, red 07360.01 1
Support rod, stainless steel, l = 600 mm 02037.00 1
Connecting cord, l = 25 cm, blue 07360.04 1
Light barrier, compact 11207.20 1
Boss head 02043.00 1
Complete Equipment Set, Manual on CD-ROM included
PC, Windows 95 or higher
Acoustic Doppler effect P21504 01/11

PHYWE Systeme GmbH & Co. KG D - 37070 Gttingen Laboratory Experiments Physics 61
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Acoustic Doppler effect 1.5.04
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Related topics Tasks

Propagation of sound waves, superimposition of sound 1. The Doppler shift of the frequency of the moving source of
waves, Doppler shift of frequency, beat frequency. sound is to be determined by measuring the beat frequen-
cy.
Principle 2. The measured values are to be compared with the calcu-
If a source of sound is in motion relative to its medium of prop- lated ones for velocities in the range between 0.06 and
agation, the frequency of the waves that it emits is displaced 0.16 m/sec.
due to the Doppler effect. With the superimposition of a mov-
ing and a stationary source of sound which are emitting waves Set-up and procedure
of the same frequency, beats occur whose frequency is equal
The equipment is set up as shown in Fig. 1. A sound head is
to the Doppler shift of the frequency of the moving source of
fitted to a barrel base. The second sound head is mounted
sound. The Doppler shift of the frequency is measured and
with the adaptor on a motor driven car which moves along the
compared with the theoretical value for different velocities of
meter scale
the sound emitting source.
The microphone is fitted to a barrel base at the same height
Equipment as the sound heads.
Measuring microphone 03542.00 1
Sound head 03524.00 2 The sound heads are connected to output (4 V, 4 Ohm) of the
Power frequency generator 1 MHz 13650.93 1 frequency generator. The microphone is connected to the
tY recorder, 1 channel 11414.95 1 input of the tY pen recorder.
Car, motor driven 11061.00 1
Attachment for car 11061.02 1 Other than the carriage, no moving object is to be in the vicin-
Round cell, 1.5 V 07922.01 2 ity of the sound probe (microphone). A sound frequency in the
Meter scale, demo, l = 1000 mm 03001.00 1 range of 5 to 10 kHz is used during the experiment. The veloc-
Stopwatch, digital, 1/100 sec. 03071.01 1 ity of the moving sound head should not exceed 0.16 m/s in
Barrel base -PASS- 02006.55 2 order to faciliate the recording of the beat frequency. The
Stand tube 02060.00 1 velocity of the moving sound head is established in a prelimi-
Connecting cord, l = 750 mm, yellow 07362.02 2 nary test by measuring the time it takes for the carriage to
Connecting cord, l = 1500 mm, blue 07364.04 2 travel a distance with a stop watch.

Fig. 1: Experimental set-up for measuring the Doppler shift of the frequency.

PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21504-01 1
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1.5.04 Acoustic Doppler effect
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After the carriage carrying the sound head has returned to its The frequency shift caused by the Doppler effect
starting point, the carriage is then started with the velocity VQ
unchanged. The pen recorder is also started simultaneously %f = fQ (4)
and it records the beat frequency. C

The experiment is repeated with the sound head at various of the wave radiated by the moving sound head can therefore
velocities, whereby the carriage is moved both towards and be determined as the beat frequency.
away from the receiver.
Two sound heads connected in parallel to an audio- frequen-
cy generator serve as the sound sources in the experiment;
Theory and evaluation one of the sound heads is mounted on a carriage which can
If a sound source Q with frequency fQ moves with velocity VQ be uniformly moved. The sound is measured with a micro-
towards an observer B who is stationary relative to the medi- phone. The measurement voltage, which is proportional to the
um of propagation, he hears the frequency pressure, is amplified and, after rectification of the high fre-
quency part, is passed to a tY recorder that registers the vari-
fQ
fB = (1) ation of the beats.
VQ
1
C The test series was carried out with a sound frequency of
C is the velocity of sound in the propagation medium. If the
source moves away from the observer at a velocity of VQ, f0 = 10 kHz
the frequency is then
fQ Using a measurement where the sound head is moving away
fB = (2) from the microphone as an example the following is found:
VQ
1
C VQ = 0.098 m/s
For V0 C the equations (1) and (2) can be approximated by With the velocity of sound
fQ VQ
fB =  fQ a 1 b C = 345m/s
VQ C
1 <
C the expected frequency shift according to equation (4) would
and therefore the frequency shift be
%f = 2.84 Hz
VQ
%f = fB fQ  fQ (3)
C Fig. 2 shows the variation of the beat frequency recorded on
The dependence on time of the sound pressure generated by the tY recorder. The deviations of amplitude during the meas-
the radiated waves of a stationary sound source 1 and a mov- urement can be attributed to the fact that the sound pressure
ing sound source 2 which are assumed to be of the same amplitude of waves emitted by both sound heads alters at the
amplitude, can be described by the following equations for a location of the microphone when one sound head is moved.
fixed point in space: This is because the amplitude of the moving sound head
decreases.
p1 = p0 sin 3 2 p fQ t 4

and Fig. 2: Recording of the beat frequency.

p2 = p0 sin 32 p fB t4 = p0 sin 32 p 1fQ  f2 t 4

If both waves have the same direction of propagation, the vari-

ation of pressure with time follows the equation below for
superimposition at the observed point of the sound field
according to the addition theorem for sine functions

2fQ  f
p = p1 + p2 = 2p0 cos 3 2 p ft4 sin c 2 p td
2

Whereas the sine-term describes an oscillation with a frequen-

cy only slightly different from fQ, the term

2p0 cos 32 p ft4

which only changes slowly can be regarded as an amplitude

of this oscillation. If varies with beat frequency %f between the
values 0 and 2p0. If the superimposed waves have the differ-
ent pressure amplitudes p01 and p02, the total amplitude chan-
ges with the beat frequency between /p01 p02 / and p01 + p02.

2 21504-01 PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen
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Acoustic Doppler effect 1.5.04
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As the results of the experiment show, the measurement of the

beat frequency permits an extremely accurate definition of the
frequency shift brought about by the Doppler effect. The rela-
tionship described by equation (4) between the velocity of a
sound source and the frequency shift is confirmed by the
amount of shift.
However, the measuring procedure does not permit conclu-
sions to be drawn from the frequency shift, as to whether the
sound source is approaching or moving away from the receiver.

The approximation applied for VQ C during the derivation of

the frequency shift Af is acceptable, because for the typical
values in the example

fB = 10 kHz VQ = 0.1 m/s C  345 m/s

the two frequencies

fQ VQ
and fQ a 1 b
Fig. 3: Beat frequency as a function of velocity VQ. VQ C
1 <
C

The diagram produced on the tY recorder shows an amplitude only differ by 0.001 Hz.
of N = 17 for a paper length of l = 5.7 cm. At a paper trans-
port speed of 60 cm/min, this corresponds to 16 oscillations
in a time of t = 5.7 s, and thus a beat frequency of
Remarks
%f = 2.8 Hz The measurement process described in the experiment can
also be used to determine the Doppler shift of electro-magnet-
Tab. 1 lists the beat frequencies %f which were measured by ic waves.
moving the sound head away from the microphone at various
velocities. The Doppler shift was calculated using equation (4). It permits the measurement of the velocity of moving bodies
The beat frequencies measured are entered in Fig. 3 above without physical contact. Furthermore, the body itself does
velocity VQ. The full line shows the theoretical curve which not need to emit waves. The waves reflected from it can be
would be expected according to equation (4). superimposed with the incoming primary waves.
The reflected wave exhibits a Doppler shift at a velocity V of
Tab. 1: Measured and calculated beat frequencies the body towards or away from the direction of propagation.
The magnitude of this Doppler shift is
VQ
0.065 0.098 0.13 0.16 V
m>s 2 f,
C
meas.
1.82 2.80 3.73 4.53
Hz
whereby f is the frequency of the primary wave and c its prop-
cal. agation velocity. From the appropriate beat frequency corre-
1.88 2.84 3.77 4.64 sponding to this frequency, velocity V of the body can be
Hz
established.

PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21504-01 3
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1.5.04 Acoustic Doppler effect
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4 21504-01 PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen
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Acoustic Doppler effect with Cobra3 1.5.04
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Related topics Track, l = 900 mm 11606.00 1

Propagation of sound waves, Doppler shift of frequency. Car, motor driven 11061.00 1
Attachment for car 11061.02 1
Principle Round cell, 1.5 V,
If a source of sound is in motion relative to its medium of prop- R 14 DIN 40865 (for car) 07922.01 2
agation, the frequency of the waves that are emitted is dis- Barrel base, -Pass- 02006.55 2
placed due to the Doppler effect. Boss head 02043.00 1
Support 09906.00 1
Task Connecting cord, l = 10 cm, red 07359.01 1
The frequency changes are measured and analysed for differ- Connecting cord, l = 100 cm, red 07363.01 2
ent relative velocities of source and observer. Connecting cord, l = 100 cm, blue 07363.04 2
Connecting cord, l = 100 cm, yellow 07363.02 1
Equipment PC, Windows 95 or higher
Cobra3 Basic Unit 12150.00 1
Power supply, 12 V_ 12151.99 1 *Alternative
RS232 data cable 14602.00 1 Microphone with amplifier 03543.00 1
Cobra3 Timer / Counter Software 14511.61 1 Electrode holder 45284.01 1
Microphone* 03542.00 1 Connecting cord, l = 25 cm, red 07360.01 1
Battery, 9 V, 6 F 22 DIN 40871 07496.10 1 Connecting cord, l = 25 cm, blue 07360.04 1
Function generator 13652.93 1
Stand tube 02060.00 1
Sound head 03524.00 1 Set-up and procedure
Plug with socket and crosshole, 2 07206.01 1 In accordance with Figs. 1 and 3 for the case of a moving
Screen with plug, l = 100 mm 11202.03 1 observer, sound source at rest.
Support rod, stainless steel, l = 600 mm 02037.00 1 In accordance with Figs. 2 and 3 for the case of a moving
Light barrier, compact 11207.20 1 sound source, observer at rest.

Fig. 1. Experimental set-up for the case of a moving observer and sound source at rest

PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen 21504-11 1
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red blue yellow

Fig. 3. Circuit diagram Fig. 4. Measuring parameters for frequency measurement

Start the Timer / Counter program and set the parameters for measure the frequency at rest f0 several times. To do this
the frequency measurement in accordance with Fig. 4. depress the s key on the keyboard.
Set the desired frequency on the function generator, place the Set the velocity controller on the car to an intermediate posi-
car with the microphone in the vicinity of the loud speakers and tion and set the direction of movement in a such a manner that

Fig. 2. Experimental set-up for the case of a moving sound source and observer at rest

2 21504-11 PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen
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Acoustic Doppler effect with Cobra3 1.5.04
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and therefore the frequency shift

VQ
f  fB  fQ  fQ (3)
C

In the case that the sound source is at rest and the observer
moves, the following formulae apply:

f  f0 a 1  b
v
c

for movement toward the wave generator and

f  f0 a 1  b
v
c

away from the wave generator,

where
f0 Frequency at rest
c Speed of sound
v Cars velocity

Fig. 5. Measuring parameters for velocity measurement The values measured in this experiment are listed in the table.

the care moves away from the loudspeakers. Release the car Table
and depress the s key when the cars velocity has become
Movement toward Movement away from
constant, i.e. it is no longer accelerating. Repeat the entire pro-
cedure several times. the sound source the sound source
Now, set the program for velocity measurement according to v /m/s 0.162 0.157
the parameters given in Fig. 5.
Do not change the velocity controller or the direction of move- v /m/s 0.159 0.156
ment of the car with respect to the previous partial experiment! v /m/s 0.158 0.157
Release the car and ensure that the screen passes through the
light barrier after the cars velocity has become constant. v /m/s 0.159 0.156
Repeat the entire procedure several times.
Mean
v /m/s 0.160 0.157
Theory and evaluation
If a sound source Q with frequency fQ moves with velocity VQ Mean
towards an observer B who is stationary relative to the medi- fmeasured/Hz 16199 16184
um of propagation, he hears the frequency
fcalculated/Hz 16199.6 16184.5
fQ
fB  (1)
VQ where c = 340 m/s and f0 = 16192 Hz.
1
C

C is the velocity of sound in the propagation medium. If the For the case in which the observer is at rest and the sound
source moves away from the observer at a velocity of VQ, the source moves, the following formulae apply:
frequency is then v
f
v
fQ 1
fB  (2) c
VQ
1
C for movement toward the observer and
v
For V0 C the equations (1) and (2) can be approximated by f
v
1
fQ VQ c
fB   fQ a 1 b
VQ C
1 away from the observer.
C

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1.5.04 Acoustic Doppler effect with Cobra3
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Remarks If several progressively smaller car velocities are successively

If the device does not measure the frequency despite clearly measured, although the position of the velocity controller has
audible tone, it may be necessary to adapt the output voltage not been changed, this indicates this that there are probably
of the microphone amplifier to the volume of the loud speak- weak batteries in the car. Replace the batteries.
ers. The fact that the cars forward and backward velocities differ
The function generator requires a warm-up period that is slightly from each other for the same velocity setting is normal
approximately 10 min long. Subsequent to this period it pro- and is due to the type of drive used in the car.
vides a sinus tone at a stable frequency.
During the measurement no background noises may occur,
since they would also be registered by the microphone and
could falsify the measurement.

4 21504-11 PHYWE series of publications Laboratory Experiments Physics PHYWE SYSTEME GMBH & Co. KG D-37070 Gttingen