The Doppler effect can be observed for any type of wave - water wave, sound wave, light wave, etc.
We are most familiar with the Doppler effect because of our experiences with sound waves.
Think about a police car or emergency vehicle was traveling towards you on the highway. As the car approached with its siren blasting, the pitch of the siren sound (a measure of the siren's frequency) was high; and then suddenly after the car passed by, the pitch of the siren sound was low. That was the Doppler effect - an apparent shift in frequency for a sound wave produced by a moving source.
The siren keeps on making the same sound all the time but YOU hear a different pitch (high pitch then a low pitch) as the siren moves past you.
Look at the picture to help you understand why this happens. Do you see how the wavelengths are different depending where you are standing?
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