Solving the Light/Wave Problem: Coyote's Search for a Nodal Point

[Byrne]

The roadrunner has escaped the death microwave trap of the coyote and the poor carnivore is left to return the machine to the ACME company. He has picked up the microwave machine, which cannot be turned off, that is emitting a wavelength of 1.0 m, but quickly begins to feel the burn as the waves rebound off the mirrored cliff walls (both 9.0 metres to the left and right of him) and constructively interfere at his position.

a) If coyote continues to hold the machine, how far towards the left cliff should he move to find a nodal point and avoid cooking himself?
b) What would the next nodal position be if he continued to quickly hop his way towards the safety of the cliff walls?

Okay, basically what I have been able to do with this problem so far is draw out some diagrams... all of which have not been much help. Does anyone have any ideas for this problem? Help is greatly appreciated.

 

[nrqed]

The roadrunner has escaped the death microwave trap of the coyote and the poor carnivore is left to return the machine to the ACME company. He has picked up the microwave machine, which cannot be turned off, that is emitting a wavelength of 1.0 m, but quickly begins to feel the burn as the waves rebound off the mirrored cliff walls (both 9.0 metres to the left and right of him) and constructively interfere at his position.

a) If coyote continues to hold the machine, how far towards the left cliff should he move to find a nodal point and avoid cooking himself?
b) What would the next nodal position be if he continued to quickly hop his way towards the safety of the cliff walls?

Okay, basically what I have been able to do with this problem so far is draw out some diagrams... all of which have not been much help. Does anyone have any ideas for this problem? Help is greatly appreciated.

The distance between two adjacent nodes is what, in terms of the wavelength? The distance between a node and teh closest antinode is eqaul to waht, in termes of lambda? That would answer your questions

 

[Byrne]

Okay, well a node occurs every 0.50 m and an anti-node is 0.25 m from every node...