Question

a) A ship sends out ultrasound that returns from the seabed and is detected after 3.42 s. If the speed of ultrasound through seawater is 1531 m/s, what is the distance of the seabed from the ship ?
b) A ship sends out ultrasound produced by transmitter that returns from the sea bed and detected after 3.42 s. If the speed of ultrasound waves through sea water is 1530 m/s, what is the distance of the sea bed from the ship?

Answer 1

Distance of sea bed from ship = Speed of sound * time taken / 2
= 1531 * 3.42 / 2 = 2618 m

Answer 2

time taken (t)= 3.42s
speed of sound in water (v) = 1531 m/s
distance of sea bed from the ship is given as
d = $\frac{v \times t}{2}= \frac{1531 \times 3.42}{2}=\boxed{2618m}$