State the principle of superposition of waves and illustrate it schematically.

Whenever two or more waves travelling through the same medium at the same time pass through each other, the net displacement of the medium at any point in space-time is simply given by the sum of the individual wave displacements.An easy way to illustrate this schematically would be by sketching both constructive and destructive cases using sine and cosine waves. More complicated waveforms could them be later also considered (square, triangular, etc...).

PV

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

What is the equivalence principle of General Relativity and what does it mean?


Explain how an acceleration-displacement graph could be used to determine the frequency of oscillation of a metal plate.


What is the angular speed of a car wheel of diameter 0.400m when the speed of the car is 108km/h?


Given the rate of thermal energy transfer is 2.7kW, the volume of the water tank is 4.5m^3, the water is at a temperature of 28oC, density of water is 1000kgm-3 & c=4200Jkg-1K-1. Calculate the rise in water temperature that the heater could produce in 1hr