How do we combine two waves to create Lissajous figures?

AI Thread Summary
Combining two waves to create Lissajous figures involves adding their oscillations in specific orientations. When oscillations are parallel, they can be summed directly as ξ1 + ξ2. For orthogonal vectors representing the oscillations, the resultant amplitude is calculated using the formula √(ξ1² + ξ2²). The particles move in the xy plane, represented by the equation ξ1 e_x + ξ2 e_y, which effectively draws the Lissajous figures. This method accurately depicts the complex motion of the combined waves.
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Homework Statement
All below
Relevant Equations
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To answer (a), i imagineed the oscillations parallels (say to z), so we simply add ξ1+ξ2
for b, i imagined two vectors ortogonais, representing the oscillations, so we should add √(ξ1² + ξ2²), is this right?
 
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The particles move on xy plane as
\xi_1\ \mathbf{e_x}+\xi_2\ \mathbf{e_y}
which draw Lissajous figures.
 
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