In the realm of waves, whether they are sound, water, or light waves, wavelength change is a direct consequence of the Doppler effect. The wavelength is the distance over which the wave's shape repeats. When the source of a wave moves towards an observer, the observed wavelength gets shorter. This phenomenon is what causes the observed light to shift towards the blue end of the spectrum, i.e., blue shift.
On the other hand, when the source moves away, the wavelength of the emitted waves stretches out, leading to a shift towards the red end of the spectrum, known as red shift. Understanding wavelength change is vital because:
- Shorter wavelengths indicate the source is approaching.
- Longer wavelengths suggest the source is receding.
- Helps in determining the velocity and direction of celestial objects.
The concept of wavelength change due to motion is fundamental in astrophysics and aids in tracking the dynamics of our universe.