Mission WM6 Interference of Waves
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The diagram below shows two sine waves present in the same medium; several points along the medium are labeled with letters. At which points does constructive interference occur? List all that apply ... .
Interference occurs when two or more waves meet while traveling through the same medium. There are two types of interference that could take place at any given location along the medium. If at a given location, both interfering waves are displaced in the same direction (both up or both down), then constructive interference is said to occur at that location.
There is no shortcut for this question. It involves a lot of patience. Starting at location A, inspect the two individual pulses along that line to determine if their displacements from the rest position (bold line) are both up, both down, or one up and one down. Once determined, apply the definition of constructive interference to determine if that location is an example of constructive interference (see Define Helpsection). Repeat the process for each of the locations.
