Superposition of Waves

Last day in class we looked at these terms:

• Wave Interference- when two or more waves act simultaneously on a medium

• Principle Superposition- whenever two or more waves pass through each other, the resulting disturbance at a given point may be found by adding the individual displacements that each wave would have caused

In class today we looked at these new terms

• Constructive Interference- when two waves combine to produce a wave with a larger amplitude (supercrest or supertrough)

• Destructive Interference- when two waves combine to produce a wave with a smaller amplitude (Total Destructive Interference = zero amplitude)

Examples

• A crest of 10cm meets a crest of 20 cm

10cm +20cm = 30cm
constructive interference

• A trough of 13cm meets a trough of 10cm

-13cm + (-10cm) = -23cm
constructive interference

• A trough of 23 cm meets a crest of 16 cm

-23cm + 16cm = -7cm
destructive interference

• A trough of 15cm meets a crest of 15cm

-15cm + 15cm = 0
total destructive interference
An assignment from the textbook was later completed in class
Practise pg.221 #1-2 and Questions pg.222 #1, 2, 5
After the textbook assignment a practise sheet was also completed, another work-sheet that was for hand-in was worked on for the rest of the period.