Asked by kelvin calin
Two identical waves are traveling toward each other in the same medium. One has a positive amplitude, meaning that its peaks only go upward, and the other wave has a negative amplitude, with peaks going downward.
What will occur when the waves peak at the same place at the same time?
constructive interference
destructive interference
a reflecting wave
wave refraction
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
Destructive interference.
By the superposition principle the net displacement is the algebraic sum of the two waves. Equal but opposite amplitudes cancel at that instant (complete destructive interference). In a linear medium the pulses pass through each other and continue afterward; energy is not destroyed but redistributed.
By the superposition principle the net displacement is the algebraic sum of the two waves. Equal but opposite amplitudes cancel at that instant (complete destructive interference). In a linear medium the pulses pass through each other and continue afterward; energy is not destroyed but redistributed.
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