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Chapter 18 - Superposition

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Particles and waves have different characteristics. Particles have 'zero' size. While waves have infinite extent. Particles cannot be in the same place at once. Two or more waves can be at the same location! This will lead to fantastic results.

If two or more traveling waves are moving thru a medium, the resultant value of the wave function at any point is the algebraic sum of the values of the wave functions of the individual waves.

Animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Kettering University.

When adding waves When the waves are 180° out of phase the waves destructively interfere When the waves are in phase the waves contructively interfere

Simulation

courtesy of:http://www.calvin.edu/academic/phys/

Real World Interference

|----amplitude----|

same frequency, same wavelength, different phase

Path Difference

Adding Waves point by point

Signal Cancellation