Sonar is used to locate objects underwater by measuring the time it takes an ultrasound sound pulse to reflect back to the receiver. An oceanic depth-sounding vessel surveys the ocean bottom with ultrasonic sound that travels 1530 m/s in seawater. Find the depth of the water if the time delay of the echo to the ocean floor and back is 8 seconds.

Question

Physics

Travis Harris

28 January, 11:29

Sonar is used to locate objects underwater by measuring the time it takes an ultrasound sound pulse to reflect back to the receiver. An oceanic depth-sounding vessel surveys the ocean bottom with ultrasonic sound that travels 1530 m/s in seawater. Find the depth of the water if the time delay of the echo to the ocean floor and back is 8 seconds.

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Answers (1)

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Shamar Richards · Answer 1

The floor of the ocean is 6120 m deep.

Explanation:

In order to find the depth of the ocean we need to use the speed of the ultrasonic sound 1530 m/s and the time it takes for the echo to comeback. Since the wave is transmitted by the vessel goes to the bottom of the ocean and comeback, it travels the distance between the vessel and the floor two times, so we can divide the time by two. We then have:

D = V*t/2 = 1530*8/2 = 1530*4 = 6120 m