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(Physics) Difference in time between arrival of sound?
I know this problem isn't that hard, Im just over thinking it. If someone could just tell me what formula to use or even better, explain how to work out the problem that would be great!!
The starter of a race stands at one end of a line of runners. what is the difference in time between the arrival of the sound of his pistol at the nearst runner and at the most distant runner 10m farther away? (in a sprint, 0.01s can mean the difference between winning and coming in second)
(my teacher provides the answers for us to check our work so the answer should come out to be 0.029s)
1 Answer
- ?Lv 76 years ago
Don't over-think... just use that formula most have seen starting in Algebra, to whit:
Distance = Rate x Time
or
Time = Distance/Rate where the Distance = 10 m
and the Rate is an average value for the speed of sound (usually taken as 340 m/s).
but
since the answer is known = 0.029 s
it's the (Rate) speed of sound that can be determined:
Rate = Distance/Time = 10/0.029 = 345 m/s *
0.029 s = (10 m)/(345 m/s)
*actually 340 m/s will work too for the speed of sound, as answer is rounded to 2 significant digits.
