The ratio of amplitudes of two waves is a measure of the relative strength or size of the two waves. It tells us how much larger or smaller one wave is compared to the other.
The ratio of amplitudes is calculated by dividing the amplitude of one wave by the amplitude of the other wave. For example, if one wave has an amplitude of 4 and the other has an amplitude of 2, the ratio of amplitudes would be 4/2 = 2.
The ratio of amplitudes is important in wave interference because it determines the resulting amplitude of the interference pattern. If the ratio is large, the interference will be constructive and the resulting amplitude will be large. If the ratio is small, the interference will be destructive and the resulting amplitude will be small.
No, the ratio of amplitudes cannot be negative. It is a measure of size or strength and therefore must be a positive number. However, it can be less than 1, indicating that one wave is smaller than the other.
The ratio of amplitudes remains constant as the distance from the source increases. This is because the amplitude of a wave decreases with distance according to the inverse square law, so the ratio of amplitudes between two waves will not change. However, if the waves are not coherent or have different frequencies, the ratio of amplitudes may change over time as the waves interact and interfere with each other.