The Doppler Effect

MCAT Basics (from MedSchoolCoach)

MedSchoolCoach

Science

4.6 • 612 Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2025

⏱️ 13 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Doppler Effect is a crucial concept for the MCAT, particularly in the Chemistry & Physics section. We'll explore how the Doppler effect occurs when a wave source moves relative to an observer, affecting the observed frequency and wavelength. Using practical examples like an ambulance speeding towards you, we'll bring these concepts to life.

We'll also break down the Doppler effect equation, examining what it reveals—and what it doesn’t—about wave behavior. By the end of this episode, you'll have a solid understanding of The Doppler effect and will be ready to tackle any related questions on the MCAT.

Visit MedSchoolCoach.com for more help with the MCAT.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction to the MCAT Basics

(02:09) Conceptual Explanation of the Doppler Effect

(03:55) Example: Doppler Effect with an ambulance

(04:55) Speed of sound and wave propagation

(05:31) Impact of ambulance motion on sound wave speed

(06:37) Relationship between wave speed and frequency

(07:30) Detailed explanation of sound frequency

(08:45) Introduction to the Doppler Effect equation

(10:08) Proportionality in the Doppler Effect equation

(11:08) Discussion on wavelength and frequency relationship

(12:29) Application of the Doppler Effect equation

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to MCAT Basics, your ultimate guide to the essential topics you need to master for the MCAT,
0:07.0	brought to you by the physicians at Med School Coach. Every week, Sam Smith breaks down high-yield MCAT topics, ensuring you're primed for success on test day.
0:16.0	Join Sam as we explore the most crucial subjects outlined by the AAMC, pulled from official practice materials and third-party resources.
0:24.7	Get ready to elevate your MCAT game with topics tailored to maximize your score potential.
0:29.9	Hello, I'm Sam Smith.
0:32.4	This podcast covers the Doppler effect.
0:35.4	I was looking back over the Hearing and Ears podcast that I did a while ago, and I kind of realized I never covered the Doppler effect.
0:42.5	This is quite a serious oversight on my part, as the Doppler effect is something that has shown up on the MCET and will continue to do so.
0:51.0	So, with that said, this is a short podcast that covers the Doppler effect. This material
0:56.9	will show up on one of the four MCAT sections, the Chemphiz section. I hope you find this podcast
1:02.6	helpful in your studies, and good luck to those of you who are taking the MCAT soon.
1:15.8	Okay, so I'm going to go over a few different things here.
1:21.2	I'll kind of first start with a conceptual definition and understanding of what the Doppler effect is.
1:22.1	I'll give an example there.
1:23.4	And then I'll talk a little bit about the mathematical definition of the Doppler effect.
1:27.7	Or I guess I'll kind of look at it from a mathematical perspective in that.
1:30.8	I'll talk about the equation for the Doppler effect and kind of what that equation tells us and how we can use that equation.
1:37.8	So the Doppler effect is a phenomena that's observed whenever a source of waves is moving with respect to an observer.
1:45.4	And those waves can be of any different kind. They can be light waves, sound waves, even ocean
1:50.2	waves. However, most of the examples that you'll see on the MCAT are in terms of sound waves.
1:55.4	But just throughout this whole discussion, keep in the back of your mind that this effect applies
2:00.6	to all different types of waves.
	...

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