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LSMOG
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Is it possible for two waves traveling at different speeds to be in phase? Why?
Does this means at the detector, the interference pattern will keep changing?BvU said:You can imagine two waves that are in phase at the point where they originate. But everywhere else the phases will have a non-constant difference.
Ohh, ryt, thanks. Its starting to make sense now, my last question is that the constant bright and dark fringes are for waves at the same speed only?BvU said:Yes. You can write down the amplitude at the detector for each of the contributing waves (##A(x,t) = A_0 = cos(\omega t - kx)##) and see they have a difference that depends on time.
You only see bright and dark fringes when your waves are light waves (because brightness and darkness are about light intensity) and light waves all travel at the same speed, so the question as asked doesn't make sense.LSMOG said:Ohh, ryt, thanks. Its starting to make sense now, my last question is that the constant bright and dark fringes are for waves at the same speed only?
LSMOG said:Is it possible for two waves traveling at different speeds to be in phase? Why?
Yes, it is possible for two waves to travel at different speeds. The speed of a wave depends on the properties of the medium it is travelling through, such as density and elasticity. Different mediums can have different speeds of propagation, causing waves to travel at different speeds.
No, two waves with different frequencies cannot travel at the same speed. The speed of a wave is directly proportional to its frequency. This means that as the frequency of a wave increases, its speed also increases. Therefore, waves with different frequencies will have different speeds.
When two waves with different speeds meet, they will interfere with each other. This can result in constructive interference, where the amplitudes of the waves add up to create a larger wave, or destructive interference, where the amplitudes cancel out and create a smaller or no wave at all.
Yes, two waves with the same speed can have different wavelengths. The speed of a wave is inversely proportional to its wavelength. This means that as the wavelength of a wave increases, its speed decreases. Therefore, waves with the same speed can have different wavelengths.
The speed of a wave does not directly affect its energy. The energy of a wave is determined by its amplitude, which is the distance from the crest to the equilibrium point of the wave. However, the speed of a wave can indirectly affect its energy by changing its frequency and wavelength, which can then affect its amplitude and energy.