Hands-On-Physics
WAVES

Information

- Wave Interference -
waves out of phase


IDENTICAL WAVES 180° OUT OF PHASE

Listen to the tones. Yes, you are playing a sound file for the third graph. Note that the peaks in the first graph correspond to the troughs in the second graph. The phase difference is not exactly 180°. So, a small resultant wave is visible, but it is below the threshold of hearing. This is a classic example of 1 + 1 = 0. Of course, it's actually 1 + (-1), but your ear doesn't want to believe that.

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