Doppler Effect:

Austrian physicist Christian Johann Doppler predicted the Doppler effect in 1842 for both sound waves
and light waves. “The change in frequency heard by an observer whenever there is relative motion
between a source of sound waves and the observer is called the Doppler effect.”

Case I; Observer moves towards the stationary source:

When the observer moves towards the source, the speed of the sound waves relative to the observer is
'
v =v−( −v o ) =v + v o , but the wavelength λ is unchanged. Where v is the speed of sound waves, v o is
the speed of observer and v ' is the speed of sound waves relative to observer.

v
From equation f = , we can say that the frequency f ' heard by an observer is increased and is given
λ
by

v v+ v o
'
'
f= =
λ λ

' v +v o
f= v
v ∵ λ=
f
f

f '= ( )v+ v o
v
f (observer moving towards stationary source)

Case II; Observer moves away from the stationary source:

When the observer moves away from the source, the speed of the sound waves relative to the observer
'
is v =v−v o , but the wavelength λ is unchanged. Where v is the speed of sound waves, v o is the speed
of observer and v ' is the speed of sound waves relative to observer.

v
From equation f = , we can say that the frequency f ' heard by an observer is decreased and is given
λ
by

v v−v o
'
'
f= =
λ λ

' v−v o
f= v
v ∵ λ=
f
f
f=
'
( v−v o
v
f ) (observer moving away from the stationary

source)

Case III; Source moves towards the stationary observer:

When the source moves towards the stationary observer, the wavelength λ ' (of sound waves)
measured by observer is shorter than the wavelength λ of the source. In each time period T of sound
vs
waves, the source moves a distance s=v s T = and the wavelength is shortened by this amount.
f
Therefore , the observed wavelength λ ' is

' ' vs
λ =λ−∆ λ = λ−
f
v
So, from equation f = , we can say that the frequency f ' heard by the observer is increased and is
λ
given by

v
f '=
λ'
' v
f=
vs
λ−
f
f '= ( v−v
f=)
v
fv
'
v
s
v s
−
f f
(Source moving towards stationary
observer)

Case III; Source moves towards the stationary observer:

When the source moves away from the stationary observer, the wavelength λ ' (of sound waves)
measured by observer is greater than the wavelength λ of the source. In each time period T of sound
vs
waves, the source moves a distance s=v s T = and the wavelength is increased by this amount.
f
Therefore , the observed wavelength λ ' is

' vs
λ =λ+ ∆ λ= λ+
f
v
So, from equation f = , we can say that the frequency f ' heard by the observer is decreased and is
λ
given by
( v+ v ) s

v
f '=
λ'
' v
f=
vs
λ+
f
' v
f=
v vs
+
f f
(Source moving from the stationary
observer)

Applications of Doppler effect:

1. The Doppler effect is used in police radar systems to measure the
speed of motor vehicles.
2. Astronomers use this effect to determine the speeds of stars,
galaxies and other celestial objects relative to the earth.