Dec. 4 – Superposition of Waves

Some quick notes with some activities today.  Here are the notes:

Superposition of waves

Interference: when two pulses or waves appear at the same place in a medium.

What happens to the two pulses or waves?

When the two pulses interfere, their amplitudes add up.

Superposition principle: When two waves interfere, the resultant amplitude is the sum of the two individual amplitudes.

Constructive interference: when two waves interfere to create a larger amplitude.  This happens when the waves are “in phase”.

Constructive interference (in phase).

Destructive interference: when two waves interfere to create a smaller amplitude.  This happens when the waves are exactly "out of phase".

Destructive interference (out of phase).

Alternatively constructive and destructive interference.

Handouts

• Superposition Activity
• Superposition Excercises