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 ▸

Explain how Maxima and Minima occur in Young's double slit experiment


The roar of a tiger in a zoo can be heard by visitors at the entrance, even though the tiger can not be seen because there is a hill in the way. Name and explain this effect.


How do you work out the work out the current through resistors in parallel?


A student studied how a few parameters of the electromagnetic radiation affects the I-V(current-voltage) curve of photoelectricity. By increasing one parameter he saw that the saturation current has risen. Which parameter it was?