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ExamsJEE AdvancedPhysics

A man of mass 50 kg runs on a plank of mass 150 kg at 8 m/s relative to the plank (both initially at rest, plank on a smooth surface). The man's velocity relative to the ground remains constant throughout. The man whistles at frequency f0. A detector D is fixed on the plank. The man then jumps off the plank at the same velocity relative to the ground and slides on the smooth surface. Speed of sound in still air = 330 m/s. What frequency does detector D register after the man jumps off the plank?

  1. 332/324 * f0
  2. 330/322 * f0
  3. 328/336 * f0
  4. 330/338 * f0

Correct answer: 330/338 * f0

Solution

Phase 1 (man running on plank): Let vₘ = man's velocity (ground), vₚ = plank velocity (ground). vₘ - vₚ = 8 m/s (relative). Momentum conservation: 50*vₘ + 150*vₚ = 0. From these: 50*(vₚ+8) + 150*vₚ = 0 => 200*vₚ = -400 => vₚ = -2 m/s; vₘ = 6 m/s. Phase 2 (man jumps off same vₘ = 6 m/s): Momentum conservation: 50*6 + 150*vₚ_new = 50*6 + 150*(-2) = 300 - 300 = 0. Wait: before jump, total momentum = 50*6 + 150*(-2) = 300 - 300 = 0 (consistent). After jump, man has velocity 6 m/s (same), so 50*6 + 150*vₚ_new = 0 => vₚ_new = -300/150 = -2 m/s. Hmm, no change. Let me reconsider — while running, plank is at -2 m/s. When man jumps off (leaves contact), system momentum is still 0. Man goes at 6 m/s, plank at -2 m/s — but now there's no friction, so plank stays at -2 m/s and man stays at 6 m/s. After jumping: man velocity = +6 m/s, plank velocity = -2 m/s. Doppler: source = man moving at +6 m/s, observer = detector on plank moving at -2 m/s. Sound in still medium at 330 m/s. Taking rightward as positive. f_observed = f0 * (v_sound + v_observer) / (v_sound + v_source)... wait, need careful sign convention. If man moves right at 6 m/s and plank moves left at 2 m/s, they move apart. f = f0 * (v + v_D) / (v + v_S) where directions are measured as moving-toward-source positive. Observer moves toward source means leftward... no, observer (detector) moves at -2 m/s (left), source (man) moves at +6 m/s (right). They move apart. Standard Doppler: f = f0 * (v - v_observer) / (v - v_source)... using the formula where positive direction is from source toward observer. Actually: f = f0 * (v + vₒ)/(v + vₛ) where vₒ is speed of observer toward source and vₛ is speed of source toward observer. Observer moves AWAY from source at 2 m/s (leftward = away from right-moving man), so vₒ = -2 (away). Source moves AWAY from observer at 6 m/s. So f = f0*(330 - 2)/(330 + 6) = 328/336 * f0. But that gives option C. Let me recheck: Taking +x to the right. Man is at some point moving right at +6. Detector on plank moving at -2. Sound travels from man (source) to detector (observer). The component of observer velocity toward source: observer velocity = -2 (left), source is to the right of observer (man ran to the right), so toward source = +x direction. Observer's velocity component toward source = -2 (negative = moving away). Source velocity toward observer: source moves right (+6), observer is to the left, so toward observer = -x direction... source velocity toward observer = -6 (source moves away from observer too). f = f0*(v + v_obs_toward_source)/(v + v_src_away_from_obs)... using: f = f0*(v + v_O)/(v + v_S) where v_O = component of observer toward source (negative if away) and v_S = component of source toward observer (negative if receding). Actually standard formula: f_obs = f_source * (v_sound + v_observer) / (v_sound + v_source) where both v_observer and v_source are SIGNED with positive = toward each other... Let me use the most basic form: f = f0 * (v +/- vₒ) / (v -/+ vₛ). Observer moving away from source: use minus in numerator. Source moving away from observer: use plus in denominator. f = f0 * (330 - 2)/(330 + 6) = 328/336 * f0. That is option C. But wait — I need to reconsider phase 2. When the man 'jumps off', perhaps the problem means: initially they're both moving (man at 6, plank at -2), and when man jumps off and SLIDES on the surface (no friction between man and surface), the plank has NO force on it either (smooth surface), so plank continues at -2, man continues at 6. The Doppler analysis above gives 328/336. Let me check option D: 330/338. That would imply 330-2=328... no. 330/338 means something like (330)/(330+8). Hmm — maybe I made an error in computing plank velocity while man runs. Actually let me reconsider: while man is ON plank, man moves at +6 m/s (ground), plank at -2 m/s (ground). Man's velocity w.r.t. plank = 6-(-2) = 8 m/s. Good. When man jumps off: the instant he leaves, the plank no longer has a running person. The total momentum is 50*6 + 150*(-2) = 0. After man leaves at 6 m/s (ground), plank recoils. But momentum must still be 0: 50*6 + 150*v_plank = 0 => v_plank = -2 m/s. So plank doesn't change speed. Hence Doppler: f = f0*(330-2)/(330+6) = 328/336. Answer is option C.

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