Solving Superposition Problem: Find a3 and Bint

  • Thread starter Thread starter FoolishMortal
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Superposition
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
1 reply · 3K views
FoolishMortal
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
The superposition of two harmonic waves:
u1 = B * sin( a1(r) )
u2 = B * sin( a2(r) )
results in a sinusoidal wave of the form:
uint = Bint * sin( a3(r) )
Find a3 and Bint

I'm not sure what to do. I can't think of any way to get it into that "form". http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/physics/Interference.html (5) on that link gives the form I would expect.
I think the "int" subscript is talking about intensity, and I'm not sure but I don't think either u1 or u2 depend on time.
Can anyone help?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Try looking up some trig identities for sine functions. Is there one involving the addition of two sine waves and getting another sine wave with a phase shift?