In many cartoon shows, a character runs off a cliff, realizes his predicament, and lets out a scream. He continues to scream as he falls. If the physical situation is portrayed correctly, from the vantage
Point of an observer at the top of the cliff leaning over the edge, the pitch of the scream as he falls
Should be
A) higher than the original pitch and increasing as he falls.
B) higher than the original pitch and constant.
C) lower than the original pitch and decreasing as he falls.
D) lower than the original pitch and constant.
E) It is impossible to predict.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This phenomenon can be explained by the Doppler effect, which describes the change in frequency of a wave in relation to an observer moving relative to the source of the wave. As the character falls away from the observer, the sound waves stretch out, leading to a lower pitch that decreases as the distance between the character and the observer increases.

In Many Cartoon Shows, a Character Runs Off a Cliff