You hear the sonic boom of a high-speed jet plane exactly 3.10 s after it passes directly overhead in level flight. At the time you hear the boom, you see the plane at an angle of 22.0 o above the horizon. Assume that the speed of sound at the altitude of the plane is 325 m/s.

Question

You hear the sonic boom of a high-speed jet plane exactly 3.10 s after it passes directly overhead in level flight. At the time you hear the boom, you see the plane at an angle of 22.0 o above the horizon. Assume that the speed of sound at the altitude of the plane is 325 m/s. 
How fast is the plane traveling?

Henry · Answer

d = 325m/s * 3.10s = 1008 m. = Hor. distance traveled by sound. d = 1008/Cos22 = 1087 m. V = 1087m/3.1s = 350.5 m/s. = Speed of the plane.