Bat Echolocation: 50 000 Hz Call, Bat Flying at 10 m/s
A bat emitting 50 000 Hz ultrasound while flying at 10 m/s toward a stationary target hears echoes at about 53 001 Hz.
How to use this tool
- Enter source frequency fā, source velocity vā, observer velocity vā and wave speed v in the fields above.
- Results update instantly as you type ā or click Calculate.
- Read your observed frequency and the full breakdown beneath it.
Bats use the Doppler shift in their returning echolocation calls to measure the speed of flying prey with remarkable precision.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the speed of sound used here?
- 343 m/s at 20 Ā°C in air at sea level. It varies with temperature: roughly v ā 331 + 0.6ĆT(Ā°C) m/s.
- Does the Doppler effect apply to light too?
- Yes, but the relativistic formula must be used. The astronomical redshift of distant galaxies is a Doppler-related phenomenon.