Dolphins of the open ocean are classified as Type II...

Dolphins of the open ocean are classified as Type II Odontocetes (toothed whales). These animals use ultrasonic "clicks" with a frequency of $55 \mathrm{kHz}$ to navigate and find prey. (a) Suppose a dolphin sends out a series of clicks that are reflected back from the bottom of the ocean $75 \mathrm{~m}$ below. How much time elapses before the dolphin hears the echoes of the clicks? (The speed of sound in seawater is approximately $1530 \mathrm{~m} / \mathrm{s}$ ) (b) What is the wavelength of a $55-\mathrm{kHz}$ sound in the ocean?

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Key Concepts

Sound Propagation in Media

This concept refers to the transmission of sound waves through different media, such as air or water. The speed at which sound travels depends on the medium’s physical properties like density and elasticity. Understanding sound propagation is essential for calculating how fast sound energy moves, which is critical when dealing with time delays and distance measurements in applications like sonar.

Echoes and Time of Flight

An echo is the reflection of a sound wave from a surface, and the time of flight is the total time it takes for the sound to travel from the source to the reflecting surface and back. This principle is used in technologies such as sonar and radar to determine distances by measuring the delay between the emission of a sound pulse and its return.

Frequency-Wavelength Relationship

This concept establishes that the wavelength of a wave is equal to the speed of the wave divided by its frequency. It is a fundamental equation in wave mechanics, allowing us to determine how the physical dimensions of a wave change with frequency, which is particularly useful when analyzing sound waves and their interactions with the environment.

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