INTERACTIONS

OF WAVES

Interference
Refraction
Diffraction
Doppler Effect
Polarization

INTERFERENCE
when 2 or more waves meet while traveling
in the same medium (overlapping waves)
the NET displacement (amplitude) is the sum
of the amplitude of the waves
Constructive or destructive interference
Creates standing waves & beats

CONSTRUCTIVE INTERFERENCE
larger displacement (larger amplitude)

crest overlaps crest

or
tough overlaps trough

DESTRUCTIVE INTERFERENCE
smaller displacement (smaller amplitude)
crest overlaps trough
displacement/
amplitude is reduced

crest cancels trough

BEATS: INTERFERENCE
Overlapping waves of different f (frequencies)

In music interference creates beats

(changes in loudness & softness)
Wave 1 (red) and
Wave 2 (blue)
combine to form beat pattern (in green)
High amplitude = LOUD
Low amplitude = soft

STANDING WAVES: INTERFERENCE

when two overlapping waves traveling in opposite
direction have the same frequency

Points that have no displacement NODES

Large, moving displacements ANTINODES
(max. amplitudes)
String instruments

CONSTRUCTIVE INTERFERENCE
Resonance
When an object vibration at a particular frequency
Seen in musical instruments, especially strings
Sympathetic resonance
When one vibrating object induces a vibration in
another object
Soldiers do not walk in
formation across bridges
Tacoma Narrows Bridge

REFRACTION
when a wave changes direction (& speed) as
it passes from one medium into another
Refraction depends upon
density of medium
Greater densities mean
greater refraction (i.e.
more bending)

REFRACTION
What happens to the
ray as it enters the
water with less of an
angle?

REFRACTION IN NATURE
Wave speed depends
on the medium

Click on picture for internet animation

DIFFRACTION
when a wave bends around an edge or
spreads through an opening

familiar examples: sound

waves (speakers in a
room) and water waves
(breaker opening in
harbors)

the amount of diffraction

increases with
increasing

DIFFRACTION

Being able to
hear around
corners

Happens with
light waves
too (affects
photography)

How is DIFFRACTION different

from REFRACTION?

Diffraction = wave bends around an edge

Refraction = wave bends because it changes

from 1 medium to another (and, therefore,
changes speed).

http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/feschools/wav
es/diffract.htm

DOPPLER EFFECT
the shift in frequency of wave when a wave source and
an observer are moving relative to each other
Notice how waves near B are
compressed higher
A

B A

B
Waves leaving A are
expanded lower

A stationary bug producing

disturbances in water

A bug moving to the right and

producing disturbances

apparent increase in for observers as the source approaches/ moves

closer to observer

apparent decrease in for observers as the source recedes / moves away

from observer

DOPPLER EFFECT: SOUND

Longer for observers as train leaves

Shorter for observers as train approaches

DOPPLER EFFECT: LIGHT

Longer for observers as train leaves =

light shifts RED
Shorter for observers as train gets closer =
Light shifts BLUE

POLARIZATION
when the displacement of a transverse wave is in a
specific orientation or direction

familiar example: polarized sunglasses

polarized materials only allow

waves that correspond to a
special direction to pass
through

PRACTICE
Word bank:
Reflection
Refraction
Diffraction
Interference
Polarization
Doppler Effect

PRACTICE
Word bank:

Reflection
Refraction
Diffraction
Interference
Polarization
Doppler Effect

INTERFERENCE
RESOURCES
http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/Demos/superposition/

http://www.kettering.edu/~drussell/Demos/superposition/
superposition.html
for applets.

http://www.phy.ntnu.edu.tw/ntnujava/viewtopic.php?t=35
for applet.

To change frequencies, etc., enter new value, and RETURN.

To pause, left click.

For Harmonics & Beats applets link to The Soundry

Sound Lab (left sidebar)
http://library.thinkquest.org/19537/