If two waves of equal amplitude interfere destructively, what is the phase difference between them?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
If two waves of equal amplitude interfere destructively, what is the phase difference between them?
0 rad
π/2 rad
π rad
3π/2 rad
Destructive interference occurs when the phase difference is π rad.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: If two waves of equal amplitude interfere destructively, what is the phase difference between them?
Solution: Destructive interference occurs when the phase difference is π rad.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand what interference means. When two waves meet, they can combine to form a new wave.
Step 2: Know the types of interference. There are two types: constructive (waves add together) and destructive (waves cancel each other out).
Step 3: Recognize that for destructive interference to happen, the waves must be out of sync.
Step 4: Learn about phase difference. Phase difference is the amount by which one wave is ahead or behind another wave, measured in radians.
Step 5: Identify the specific phase difference for destructive interference. It is π radians (or 180 degrees). This means one wave is exactly half a cycle out of sync with the other.
