A 3m slinky rests on a table with a student holding each end. The students laterally shake the ends of the slinky to generate transverse waves. The student on the left shakes the slinky at 4 hertz with a 5cm amplitude and the student on the right shakes it at 3 hertz with a 7cm amplitude.

Answer 1

As the two students shake the slinky with different frequencies and amplitudes, interference patterns will be created where the waves overlap. The superposition of these waves will result in a complex wave pattern with varying amplitudes and frequencies.

The resulting wave pattern will consist of regions of constructive interference, where the amplitudes of the waves add up, and regions of destructive interference, where the amplitudes cancel each other out. This will create a visually interesting and dynamic display of waves traveling along the slinky.

The different frequencies and amplitudes of the waves will also create beats, where the waves alternate between reinforcing and canceling each other out. The speed at which the beats occur will depend on the difference in frequency between the two waves.

Overall, the combination of the two students shaking the slinky at different frequencies and amplitudes will result in a visually captivating display of interference patterns, beats, and a complex wave pattern traveling along the slinky.