Question
Wave interference can be constructive or destructive, which changes the amplitudes of the waves that are transmitted.
Which of the following is a possible explanation for how wave interference could be used to reduce background noise in noise-canceling headphones?
A.Constructive interference causes sound waves to have lower amplitudes, reducing the overall noise.
B.Constructive interference increases the frequency of sound waves, allowing them to cancel out background noise.
C.Destructive interference causes sound waves to have lower amplitudes, effectively reducing the background noise.
D.Destructive interference increases the amplitude of sound waves, making background noise harder to hear.
Which of the following is a possible explanation for how wave interference could be used to reduce background noise in noise-canceling headphones?
A.Constructive interference causes sound waves to have lower amplitudes, reducing the overall noise.
B.Constructive interference increases the frequency of sound waves, allowing them to cancel out background noise.
C.Destructive interference causes sound waves to have lower amplitudes, effectively reducing the background noise.
D.Destructive interference increases the amplitude of sound waves, making background noise harder to hear.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct explanation for how wave interference could be used to reduce background noise in noise-canceling headphones is:
**C. Destructive interference causes sound waves to have lower amplitudes, effectively reducing the background noise.**
In noise-canceling headphones, microphones pick up the ambient noise, and the headphones generate sound waves that are the exact opposite (180 degrees out of phase) of the noise. When these opposite sound waves interact through destructive interference, they effectively cancel each other out, leading to a reduction in overall sound amplitude and thus reducing the perception of background noise.
**C. Destructive interference causes sound waves to have lower amplitudes, effectively reducing the background noise.**
In noise-canceling headphones, microphones pick up the ambient noise, and the headphones generate sound waves that are the exact opposite (180 degrees out of phase) of the noise. When these opposite sound waves interact through destructive interference, they effectively cancel each other out, leading to a reduction in overall sound amplitude and thus reducing the perception of background noise.