A sperm whale Fig. below (a) vocalizes by producing a seriesof clicks. Actually,

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A sperm whale Fig. below (a) vocalizes by producing a seriesof clicks. Actually, the whale makes only a single sound near thefront of its head to start the series. Part of that sound thenemerges from the head into the water to become the first click ofthe series. The rest of the sound travels backward through thespermaceti sac (a body of fat), reflects from the frontal sac (anair layer), and then travels forward through the spermaceti sac.When it reaches the distal sac (another air layer) at the front ofthe head, some of the sound escapes into the water to form thesecond click, and the rest is sent back through the spermaceti sac(and ends up forming later clicks).
Figure below (b) shows a strip-chart recording of a series ofclicks. A unit time interval of 1.2 ms is indicated on the chart.Assuming that the speed of sound in the spermaceti sac is 1405 m/s,find the length of the spermaceti sac. From such a calculation,marine scientists estimate the length of a whale from its clickseries.
In the solution, there was a rapairative index given of1.5. Where did this value come from? A sperm whale Fig. below (a) vocalizes by producing a seriesof clicks. Actually, the whale makes only a single sound near thefront of its head to start the series. Part of that sound thenemerges from the head into the water to become the first click ofthe series. The rest of the sound travels backward through thespermaceti sac (a body of fat), reflects from the frontal sac (anair layer), and then travels forward through the spermaceti sac.When it reaches the distal sac (another air layer) at the front ofthe head, some of the sound escapes into the water to form thesecond click, and the rest is sent back through the spermaceti sac(and ends up forming later clicks).
Figure below (b) shows a strip-chart recording of a series ofclicks. A unit time interval of 1.2 ms is indicated on the chart.Assuming that the speed of sound in the spermaceti sac is 1405 m/s,find the length of the spermaceti sac. From such a calculation,marine scientists estimate the length of a whale from its clickseries.
In the solution, there was a rapairative index given of1.5. Where did this value come from?

Explanation / Answer

Given : The refractive index (or index ofrefraction) of a medium is a measure for howmuch the speed of light (or other waves such as sound waves) isreduced inside the medium. For example, typical soda-lime glass has arefractive index of 1.5, which means that in glass, light travelsat 1 / 1.5 = 0.67 times the speed of light in avacuum.    I hope it helps you

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