02 - Waves

The Superposition Principle; Interference of Waves (Constructive and

Destructive
The Principle of Superposition

• If two or more travelling waves are moving through a medium, the

resultant wave function at any point is the algebraic sum of the
wave functions of the individual waves.
• Linear waves obey the superposition principle.
• If wave 1 displaces a particle in the medium by D1 and wave 2
simultaneously displaces it by D2, the net displacement of the
particle is simply D1 + D2.
Superposition

• Resultant Waves.
Interference of Waves

• When two or more waves meet, they superimpose or combine at a

particular point. The waves are said to interfere.

• Interference pattern is a result of superposition of waves.

Constructive Interference

• Constructive Interference occurs when the crests or troughs of

both waves coincide to produce a wave with crest and troughs of
maximum amplitude
Destructive Interference

• Destructive interference occurs when the crest of one wave

coincide with the trough of the other wave, thus cancelling each
other with the result that the resultant amplitude is zero.