Visualize how waves interact to create interference patterns. Adjust wavelength, amplitude, and source distance to see constructive and destructive interference.
Wave interference is a phenomenon that occurs when two or more waves overlap and combine to form a resultant wave. The principle of superposition states that when two or more waves meet, the resulting displacement at any point is the sum of the displacements of the individual waves.
There are two main types of interference:
For two waves with the same frequency and wavelength, the resultant wave amplitude (A) at a point can be calculated using:
Where A₁ and A₂ are the amplitudes of the individual waves, and φ is the phase difference between them.
One of the most famous demonstrations of wave interference is Young's double-slit experiment. When light passes through two closely spaced slits, it creates an interference pattern on a screen. The pattern consists of bright bands (constructive interference) and dark bands (destructive interference).
The positions of the bright bands can be calculated using:
Where d is the distance between the slits, θ is the angle from the central maximum, λ is the wavelength, and m is an integer (0, ±1, ±2, ...).
Wave interference has many practical applications:
In this simulation, you can explore these concepts by adjusting the properties of one or two wave sources and observing the resulting interference patterns.