MCAT Question A Day - 9/11/13 - Answer!
The foghorn of a ship echoes off an iceberg in the distance. If the echo is heard 5.00 seconds after the horn is sounded, and the air temperature is -50.0°C, how far away is the iceberg?
A. 200 m
B. 750 m
C. 825 m
D. 900 m
The correct answer is (B). The normal speed of sound at 0°C in air is about 330 meters/second. The speed changes by 0.6 m/s for each change of 1°C; therefore, the speed in air at -50°C is:
330 m/s - 50°C(0.6 m/s°C) = 300 m/s
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