Need help in understanding phase angle/difference in A level physics.

mutineer123

I understand what a phase angle/difference is, but when it comes to applying them in questions (from past papers) my mind draws a blank. Can anyone here in simple terms, explain how can I draw lets say a phase angle difference 'precisely' of a wave in a graph?

Additional details : I am in AS level right now, so please go easy on any advanced mathematics. And just as a heads up: We have just learnt a sine graph in math aswell as radians( so I know a whole wavelength is 2∏.)

mutineer123

I Just came across a question, which I think will help explain my doubt better

http://www.xtremepapers.com/CIE/Inte...2_w02_qp_2.pdf

here in question 5 it says " draw the variation with time t of the displacement x of the point in wave T2" So see, while I know phase angle of 60° means T2 lags behind T1 by 60( less than ∏/2 or 90°), I have no idea how to draw it.
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elliott

The phase of a transverse wave is how far it has been translated or shifted. Think back to algebra when we translated graphs of lines by adding and subtracting numbers.

In this case, a phase of 60 degrees results in a shift of ∏/3 radians or 1/6 of a wavelength, being that one wavelength = 2∏ = 360 degrees. If the wavelength of this graph is 3 units then it will be shifted by .5 units to the left (T₂ drags behind T₁)

mutineer123

Thank you elliott, no one really explained it before with translation..it was very helpful :)