PHYSICS C10 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Standing Wave, Fourier Analysis
Document Summary
Interference: destructive interference - when two waves cancel each other out (crest from one wave reaches a point at the same time as the trough from another wave). Node: constructive interference crests from two waves hit the same point at the same time, and their frequencies are combined. Reversal of waves: when a pulse reaches an immovable boundary and reverses direction, the pulse also turns upside down. This is because the last particle tried to move the rigid particle next to it and was unable. It is acted upon with equal force in the opposite direction in which it pulled. Therefore the momentum of the pulse is pulled in the opposite direction: interference is essentially a result of waves bouncing off of movable boundaries (i. e. other waves). Phase: two waves are in phase when both of their crests hit the same point at the same time.
