Question

Your ear is capable of differentiating sounds that arrive at each ear just 0.34 ms apart, which is useful in determining where low-frequency sound is originating from.
(a) Suppose a low-frequency sound source is placed to the right of a person, whose ears are approximately 20 cm apart, and the speed of sound generated is 340 m/s. How long (in s) is the interval between when the sound arrives at the right ear and the sound arrives at the left ear?
(b) Assume the same person was scuba diving and a low-frequency sound source was to the right of the scuba diver. How long (in ) is the interval between when the sound arrives at the right ear and the sound arrives at the left ear if the speed of sound in water is 1,530 m/s? S
(c) What is significant about the time interval of the two situations?

Answer 1

Answer:

(a) 0.59 ms

(b) 0.15 ms

(c) The significance is that the speed of sound in different media determines the time interval of perception by the ears, which are at constant distance apart.

Explanation:

(a) distance between ears = 20 cm = 0.2 m

speed of sound generated = 340 m/s

time = ?

speed = $\frac{distance covered}{time taken}$

⇒ time taken, t = $\frac{distance covered}{speed}$

                        = $\frac{0.2}{340}$

                        = 5.8824 × $10^{-4}$

                        = 0.59 ms

The time interval of the arrival of the sound at the right ear to the left ear is 0.59 ms.

(b) distance between ears = 20 cm = 0.2 m

speed of sound in water = 1530 m/s

time = ?

speed = $\frac{distance covered}{time taken}$

⇒ time taken, t = $\frac{distance covered}{speed}$

                         = $\frac{0.2}{1530}$

                         = 1.4815 × $10^{-4}$

                         = 0.15 ms

The sound heard by the right ear of the diver would arrive at the left 0.15 ms latter.

(c) The significance is that the speed of sound in different media, determines the time interval of perception by the ears, which are at constant distance apart.