Interference of Waves | Superposition and Interference in light and water waves | Physics
Summary
TLDRThis video explains the phenomenon of wave interference, focusing on how the principle of superposition of waves leads to constructive and destructive interference. Using examples such as dropping pins in a tank, it illustrates how two or more waves traveling through the same medium can combine, either amplifying or canceling each other. The explanation covers the wave theory of light, the conditions for superposition, and the differences between constructive and destructive interference based on phase alignment, emphasizing interference as a key effect of wave interaction.
Takeaways
- π Interference of waves occurs when two or more waves cross each other in the same medium.
- π¦ The phenomena of light, such as refraction and reflection, can be explained by both the corpuscular and wave theory.
- π Some phenomena, like interference and diffraction, can only be explained by the wave theory of light.
- π Waves traveling in the same medium can combine and cause physical effects, known as interference.
- π Interference is the result of the combined effects of disturbances caused by each individual wave at the same time and place.
- π‘ The principle of superposition states that the resultant displacement at any point is the vector sum of individual displacements.
- π When two waves superimpose constructively, the displacement is maximized, leading to constructive interference.
- π When two waves superimpose destructively, the displacement is minimized, resulting in destructive interference.
- π Constructive superposition occurs when the phase difference between waves is zero or a multiple of two.
- 𧩠Interference of waves is a special case of superposition where waves from different sources have the same amplitude and frequency.
Q & A
What are the two theories that explain the phenomena of light?
-The two theories that explain the phenomena of light are the corpuscular theory and the wave theory.
Which phenomena of light can only be explained by the wave theory?
-Phenomena such as interference and diffraction can only be explained by the wave theory of light.
What is interference in the context of wave theory?
-Interference is the physical effect that occurs when two or more waves cross each other in the same medium, causing their disturbances to combine.
What principle helps explain the concept of interference?
-The principle of superposition of waves helps explain interference by stating that the resultant displacement at any point is the vector sum of the displacements caused by individual waves.
What happens when two waves with the same amplitude interfere constructively?
-When two waves with the same amplitude interfere constructively, their displacements add up, resulting in a maximum displacement and forming a constructive superposition.
What is the phase difference between waves in constructive superposition?
-In constructive superposition, the phase difference between waves is zero or a multiple of two.
What is destructive superposition?
-Destructive superposition occurs when waves with opposite displacements (one crest and one trough) interfere, leading to a minimum displacement.
What is the phase difference between waves in destructive superposition?
-In destructive superposition, the phase difference between waves is an odd integer multiple.
What is the significance of the amplitude in the superposition of waves?
-The amplitude of the resultant wave in superposition determines the physical effect, such as constructive or destructive interference, with larger amplitudes leading to greater vibrations.
What are the conditions for interference to occur?
-Interference occurs when waves originate from different sources but have the same amplitude and frequency, leading to the superposition of their disturbances.
Outlines
π Interference and Theories of Light
This paragraph introduces the concept of interference in waves and explains how it can only be understood through the wave theory of light. While phenomena like refraction and reflection can be explained by both the corpuscular and wave theories of light, interference and diffraction rely on the wave theory. Interference occurs when two or more waves interact in the same medium, producing combined effects that can be understood through the principle of superposition of waves.
π§ Principle of Superposition of Waves
This paragraph explains the principle of superposition of waves, which is crucial for understanding interference. When two or more waves travel through the same medium simultaneously, the resultant displacement at any point is the vector sum of the displacements caused by individual waves. An example is given of dropping two pins in a ripple tank, where the resultant wave is the sum of the individual displacements. This principle helps explain how waves combine to form a new wave with different amplitudes based on the phases of the individual waves.
π Constructive and Destructive Superposition
Here, the focus is on constructive and destructive superposition, explaining how the combination of wave crests and troughs affects the resultant displacement. Constructive superposition occurs when the crests or troughs of two waves align, creating a maximum displacement, while destructive superposition occurs when a crest and trough align, resulting in minimum displacement. The paragraph also explains that in constructive interference, the phase difference is zero or a multiple of two, whereas in destructive interference, the phase difference is an odd multiple.
π Types of Interference
This paragraph concludes the explanation of wave interference by summarizing how the superposition of waves can lead to either constructive or destructive interference. It highlights that interference is a physical effect of superposition, particularly when the sources of the waves have the same frequency and amplitude. The paragraph clarifies that interference is a special case of superposition, resulting in variations in the amplitude of the resultant wave.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Interference of Waves
π‘Refraction
π‘Wave Theory of Light
π‘Principle of Superposition
π‘Constructive Interference
π‘Destructive Interference
π‘Amplitude
π‘Crest and Trough
π‘Phase Difference
π‘Ripple Tank
Highlights
Interference of waves is a physical effect caused by the combination of two or more wave motions traveling through the same medium.
The interference of waves can be explained using the principle of superposition, where the resultant displacement is the vector sum of the individual wave displacements.
The two main theories of light that explain refraction and reflection are the corpuscular theory and the wave theory of light.
Certain phenomena, like interference and diffraction, can only be explained by the wave theory of light.
Interference occurs when two or more waves cross each other in the same medium, and their combined effects result in a physical disturbance.
Superposition of waves is the principle that when multiple waves travel through the same medium simultaneously, the resultant wave's displacement is the sum of the individual displacements.
When two pins are dropped in a ripple tank, the waves they produce superimpose on each other, leading to a resultant wave with an amplitude equal to the sum of the individual wave amplitudes.
Constructive interference occurs when the crests or troughs of two waves align, producing maximum displacement.
Destructive interference occurs when the crest of one wave coincides with the trough of another, resulting in minimum displacement.
In constructive superposition, the phase difference between the waves is zero or a multiple of two, leading to maximum displacement.
In destructive superposition, the phase difference is an odd integer multiple, resulting in minimal displacement.
Interference is a special case of wave superposition when waves originate from different sources but share the same frequency and amplitude.
The physical effect of interference is the formation of vibrations in the amplitude of the resultant wave.
Interference of waves is observed as either constructive or destructive, depending on the superposition of the individual waves.
Superposition applies to waves vibrating with the same frequency and amplitude, resulting in the interference pattern.
Transcripts
interference of waves
the phenomena of the light which
undergoes refraction and reflection
can be explained by the two theories of
light
they are the corpuscular and the wave
theory of light
but some of the other phenomena such as
interference and diffraction can only be
explained by the wave theory of light
we know that two or more wave motions
travel in space at the same time
sometimes these two wave motions combine
and some physical effects take place
interference is one such physical effect
when two or more waves cross each other
in the same medium
they both interfere and an accident
takes place
this accident is known as the
interference of waves
interference is the combined effects of
the disturbance caused by the each
individual wave at the same place at the
same time
this effect can be understood from the
principle of superposition of waves
principle of superposition of waves
to understand this concept of the
superposition
let's understand some of the examples
when we drop a pin in a tank we see some
circular waves when another pin is
dropped we see some more waves these
waves travel in the same tank and at one
time or another they superimpose on each
other
the resultant wave would have an
amplitude which is the sum of the
displacement due to the individual waves
the principle of superposition of waves
states that when two or more waves
traveling through the same medium
simultaneously the resultant
displacement at any point is the vector
sum of the displacement due to the
individual waves
in our case the pin is dropped in a
ripple tank with two pins
if y1 is the displacement caused at a
point due to the first source
and y2 is the displacement caused by the
second source then the overall
displacement r at the point of
interference would be given by r equals
y1 plus y2 when both sources have the
same amplitude then y1 and y2 would be
equal to y when y1 is due the crest or
tro and y2 is also due a crest or tro
the resultant would be the maximum and
when y1 is due to a crest and y2 is due
to a tro or vice versa the displacement
would be minimum
when maximum displacement takes place
it's called constructive superposition
and when minimum displacement takes
place it's called the destructive
superposition
in constructive displacement a maximum
displacement curve is produced
thus when constructive displacement
occurs the phase difference between the
waves would be zero or a multiple of two
when minimum displacement occurs
waves superimpose destructively the
phase difference of the waves would be
an odd integer multiple
interference of waves
when superposition of waves occur they
can be destructive or constructive
this physical effort observed as a
result of the superposition of waves is
called interference
the physical effect of the superposition
of waves from the source vibrating with
the same frequency and amplitude is
called the interference of waves
the physical effect is in the form of
vibrations in the amplitude of the
resultant wave in a given portion of the
medium
interference is a special case of
superposition of waves which originate
from different sources but have the same
amplitude and same frequency
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