A wave with an amplitude of 31 mm interferes with another wave that has the same wavelength, an amplitude of 13 mm.
a) What is the maximum amplitude of the resultant wave if the two waves are in phase?
b) What is the maximum amplitude of the resultant wave if the two waves are out of phase?
Please show your work
max amplitude: add the waves
max 180 out of phase: subtract .
I don't understand the second part. What do you mean by max 180 out of phase: subtract?
To determine the maximum amplitude of the resultant wave when two waves interfere, we need to consider two scenarios: when the waves are in phase and when they are out of phase.
a) When the waves are in phase, we can add their amplitudes to find the maximum amplitude of the resultant wave.
Given:
Amplitude of the first wave (A1) = 31 mm
Amplitude of the second wave (A2) = 13 mm
Maximum amplitude of the resultant wave (Amplitude_resultant) = A1 + A2
Amplitude_resultant = 31 mm + 13 mm
Amplitude_resultant = 44 mm
Therefore, when the two waves are in phase, the maximum amplitude of the resultant wave is 44 mm.
b) When the waves are out of phase, we need to consider the subtraction of their amplitudes to find the maximum amplitude of the resultant wave.
Maximum amplitude of the resultant wave (Amplitude_resultant) = |A1 - A2|
Amplitude_resultant = |31 mm - 13 mm|
Amplitude_resultant = |18 mm|
Amplitude_resultant = 18 mm
Therefore, when the two waves are out of phase, the maximum amplitude of the resultant wave is 18 mm.