# Destructive Wave Interference

1. Jan 1, 2004

### waynet

I was wondering about this one day and perhaps someone here can supply an explanation. Let’s assume you can get two waves on the same frequency and amplitude perfectly aligned with each other but on opposite phase so they cancel each other out, which from what I understand is called destructive wave interference.

Since the energy from the two waves is canceled out, it can't be measured or used, correct? What happens to that energy? Doesn't that violate the law of conservation of energy?

2. Jan 2, 2004

### pallidin

Now that's a hell of a good question.
Destructive interferance of sound waves seems to imply that one could have an "action" (generation of sound waves) and a cancelled "reaction" (due to the interferance).
I could think of a few novel devices if this is true. Surely it must not be that simple.
Curious... perhaps some experts can jump in on this to explain.

3. Jan 4, 2004

### himanshu121

Energy is redistributed , there is no loss of energy and thus there is no violation of law of conservation of energy

4. Jan 4, 2004

### KLscilevothma

Could you elaborate that please. Energy is redistributed to where ?

5. Jan 4, 2004

### Moni

Hmm...let me say it...

Imangine two of your friends are trying to pull something...but not from the same side...you two are just 180 deg to each other...and both of you have same strength...then you can't move the thing...can you say...that you aren't loosing energy

6. Jan 4, 2004

### waynet

You aren't loosing energy that way, it is changed to heat energy and also you are probably streching the object you are pulling, so it is redistributed there. What I don't understand is where the energy goes with the wave interference.

7. Jan 4, 2004

### himanshu121

In interference phenomenon there is constructive as well as destructive interfernce. Where in Constructive interference the energy adds up and in destructive interference it subtracts which makes the energy before and after interfernce same

8. Jan 4, 2004

### waynet

So you are saying that it is impossible to have destructive interference without constructive interference? Is there proof of this somewhere?

9. Jan 4, 2004

### himanshu121

No. Basically if it(only destructive) would happen then conservation of energy will fail

10. Jan 4, 2004

### KLscilevothma

I still don't get it. Consider the following picture (see attatchment), when the two pulses meet, only cancellation will occur. So where will be the energy re-distributed to ?

However I understand that the energy at points of cancellation is redistributed to points of reinforcement if the interference pattern contains both destructive and constructive interferences.

#### Attached Files:

• ###### wave.bmp
File size:
12.6 KB
Views:
204
11. Jan 4, 2004

### waynet

At the point the two will meet they will cancel each other out, but the waves will pop back out and continue on, so no energy is lost. My question was if they were going in the same direction and they lined up perfectly.

I would imagine it would be hard to get two waves to do that, but I think it could be possible with light waves and using things like lasers, mirrors and prisms.

12. Jan 5, 2004

### Hydr0matic

To create destructive interference basically what you need is an interferometer. Here's a typical example of such a setup:
http://www.upscale.utoronto.ca/GeneralInterest/Harrison/MachZehnder/MachZehnder.html

But I don't get why the author claims all light ends up at detector 1, it sounds very contradictory. I mean, if there is no light heading towards detector 2, then which beams are interfering destructively ? .. Do all beams choose to go to D1 because they know in advance that they will interfere destructively towards D2 ? Some quantum weirdness at work here ?

Even though I think the above example doesn't make sense I've constructed another setup yielding destructive interference at both detectors... See bottom picture:
http://hydr0matic.insector.se/fysik/interferometer.jpg [Broken]

If these dubble-glassed beamsplitters could be produced I believe one could make all light in an interferometer interfere destructively.

Last edited by a moderator: May 1, 2017
13. Jan 5, 2004

### waynet

Maybe he meant that all visible light ends up at detector 1. Common sense would make you think that it would only be half the intensity, but I guess sometimes stuff like this seems to defy common sense.

Looking at your diagram, you may have to change that first double glassed mirror to a regular beam splitter, because that other page says that the inner surface doesn't cause a phase change. But wouldn't that cause a problem with it lining up correctly?

14. Jan 6, 2004

### Hydr0matic

Can any experimental results be found on this ? It must have been tested ...

Why would I have to change it ? Let's analyse ..

T = Transmitted beam
R = Reflected beam
C = some constant phase change due to refraction in glass.

TT: 4*C
RR: 4*C + 2*$\frac{\lambda}{2}$

TR: 4*C
RT: 4*C + 2*$\frac{\lambda}{2}$

The situation is the same at both ends due to the dubble-glassed beamsplitters. The numbers above will give constructive interference at both ends, but if you add another phase shift of one-half a wavelength due to distance traveled at the RX paths, there will be destructive interference at both ends.

15. Jan 6, 2004

### Thallium

Forgive me for posting this stupid question: Why can two waves on the same frequency and applitude cancel eachother out?

16. Jan 6, 2004

### waynet

Probably, but I wouldn't know where to look for it, I'm not a physicist.
That is why I suggested the change. I guess it could be done several ways.

So, you are going to try building such a device?

17. Jan 6, 2004

### waynet

Re: Re: Destructive Wave Interference

I found this page that shows how you can have waves cancel each other out:

One time I've experienced this is when a friend of mine didn't wire his car stereo correctly, so that both front car door speakers were wired on the same channel, but on opposite phase. (one speaker wired backwards) He had both car doors open and turned up the stereo really loud. If you stood somewhere on a line directly behind the car, you couldn't hear the stereo, except for the echo bouncing off the hills in the distance.

Last edited by a moderator: May 1, 2017
18. Jan 6, 2004

### Hydr0matic

Perhaps, I'm not sure. I tried to figure out a setup using single-glassed splitters but I couldn't find one. I think it's essential for the setup that the beams experience equal refraction shifts.

If I sometime in the distant future get access to the resources, yes. I'm not exactly a physicist either you know

19. Apr 14, 2004

### edwardone

edward

Hi i m looking for the software/shareware that let me to do destructive sound interference.Where can i find it?
Thanks

20. Apr 14, 2004

### jdavel

waynet asked: "What happens to that energy?"

What energy?