Physics@Brock

The scorpion uses both longitudinal and transverse waves to locate its prey. With its eight legs spread roughly in a circle about 5cm in diameter it intercepts the faster longitudinal pulses first and learns the direction of the beetle, by sensing which leg received the pulse first. The scorpion then senses the time interval \(t\) between that first interception and that of the slower transverse waves, and uses this information to determine the distance, \(d=(75\,{\rm m/s}) t\)

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