Confusion regarding Standing Waves and Reflection resulting in Phase Change

AI Thread Summary
A standing wave appears stationary at specific harmonic frequencies, with reflections causing a 180-degree phase change at barriers. This phase change results in destructive interference at the nodes, where the wave amplitude is zero. However, between the nodes, the interaction of the incident and reflected waves creates a gradient of constructive and destructive interference, leading to antinodes where the amplitude is maximized. The confusion arises from the representation of standing waves, which may seem to suggest that reflected waves are always out of phase, but the overall behavior is a combination of both constructive and destructive interference across the wave. Understanding this interaction clarifies how standing waves form despite the phase changes at the boundaries.
Hereformore
Messages
61
Reaction score
0
So a standing wave is one which looks to be standing still at certain harmonic frequencies. At these frequencies, when the wave reflects off the end, it will undergo a phase change of 180 degrees. This creates constructive interference as shown below:

upload_2014-10-26_17-21-53.png


In the case of a wave on a string, since that would constitute a transverse wave, when the wave hits a barrier, much like with thin film interference, the reflected wave is shifted by 180 degrees.

in the case of a longitudinal wave, such as with an open-closed or open open air pressure system, the phase change occurs at the open end(s) but not at the closed ends.

What I don't understand is, if the reflected wave is constructive, and in phase with the incident wave, then why are standing wave diagrams always drawn with the reflected wave out of phase/having destructive interference? Am i misinterpreting the diagrams?

See below for standing waves:
upload_2014-10-26_17-25-25.png

See below for Longitudinal waves:
upload_2014-10-26_17-19-42.png
(Open Open = phase change at both ends)
upload_2014-10-26_17-26-3.png
Open Closed = Phase change only at open end.

Also otherwise, is my understanding of what's going on (with the reflections and phase changes) accurate? Thanks guys!
 
Science news on Phys.org
Hereformore said:
So a standing wave is one which looks to be standing still at certain harmonic frequencies. At these frequencies, when the wave reflects off the end, it will undergo a phase change of 180 degrees. This creates constructive interference as shown below:

View attachment 74816

180 degrees phase change results in destructive interference, that is, why there is a node at the barrier.
 
ehild said:
180 degrees phase change results in destructive interference, that is, why there is a node at the barrier.
but then how does the standing wave occur if the reflection always causes destructive interference?

OH Is it that at each point in between nodes the incident and reflected/incoming wave interact differently to different degrees of constructive and destructive, such that at the antinode its total constructive and at the node its total descrtuctive and in between its a gradient?
 
Back
Top