SECTION 11.

Wave Interactions
Wave Interference KEY TERMS
Think about what happens when two bumper boats collide.
constructive interference
Each car bounces back in another direction. Two different destructive interference
objects can never be in the same space at the same time. standing wave
node
Now think about what happens when two waves come antinode
together. They do not bounce back. suppose you are at a
concert. You can hear the sounds of different instruments at
the same time. The sound waves of each instrument are not
affected by the other waves that are passing through the same Critical Thinking
space at the same moment. Mechanical waves are not matter 1. Apply Two wave pulses meet
but are displacements of matter. so two waves can occupy the when each has an amplitude of 3
same space at the same time. The combination of two cm. What is the amplitude of the
resultant wave?
overlapping waves is called superposition. Waves interact to
form an interference pattern as they pass through one another.

Displacements in the same direction produce

constructive interference.

Two wave pulses are traveling toward each other on a

stretched rope. The wave pulses meet as shown in part b.
The displacements due to the two pulses add to form the
displacement of the resultant wave. The two pulses exactly
coincide as shown in part c. The amplitude of the resultant
wave is equal to the sum of the amplitudes of each pulse.
This method of adding the displacements of waves is known

When these two wave pulses meet, the

displacements at each point add up to
form a resultant wave. This is an
example of constructive interference.

(a) (c)

(b) (d)

V I B R AT I O N S A N D W AV E S 237
as the superposition principle. Part d shows what happens,
after the two pulses pass through each other. Each pulse has
the same shape it had before the waves met and each is still READING CHECK
traveling in the same direction. 2. When does constructive
interference happen?
Constructive interference occurs when there is a
superposition of waves in which individual displacements on
the same side of the equilibrium position are added to form
the resultant wave. Because the displacements are on the
same side of equilibrium, they have the same sign. The
resultant wave is larger than the individual displacements.

Displacements in opposite directions produce destructive Critical Thinking

interference. 3. Compare How do the
displacements of wave pulses that
What happens if the pulses are on opposite sides of the result in destructive interference
equilibrium position, as they are in part a of the image below? differ from those that result in
constructive interference?
In this case, the displacements have different signs, one
positive and one negative. When the positive and negative
displacements are added, as shown in parts b and c, the
resultant wave is the difference between the pulses.
Destructive interference is a superposition of waves in
which individual displacements on opposite sides of the
equilibrium position are added to form the resultant wave.
The resultant wave is smaller than the individual
displacements. Part d below shows what happens after the
pulses separate. Their shapes are unchanged.

In destructive interference, the

displacement of one pulse is subtracted
from the displacement of the other.

(a) (c)

(b) (d)

Two pulses of equal amplitude but with displacements of

opposite signs are shown on the next page. The two pulses
coincide and the displacements are added. The resultant wave
has a displacement of zero. The two pulses overlap completely

238 CHAPTER 11
and cancel each other at the instant they overlap. It is as if
there were no disturbance at all. This situation is known as
complete destructive interference.
The superposition principle is true for longitudinal waves
as well. Particles are moved closer together in a compres-
sion. Particles are spread farther apart in a rarefaction. The resultant displacement at each
There is destructive interference when a compression and a point of the string is zero. so the two
rarefaction interfere. pulses cancel one another. This is
complete destructive interference.

Incident
READING CHECK pulse

4. Compared with the particles at equilibrium, how are the

particles in a compression and in a rarefaction arranged?

Reflection
What happens to the motion of a wave when it reaches a
boundary?
pulse

Waves are reflected at a free boundary.

(a)

Look at the pulse wave traveling on a stretched rope whose When a pulse travels down a rope
end forms a ring around a post. This is shown at top right. whose end is free to slide up the post,
the pulse is reflected from the free end.
When the pulse reaches the boundary, the rope moves up
and pulls the ring up with it. Then the tension in the rope
Incident Incident
pulls the ring back down and causes a pulse to travel back
pulse pulse

along the rope to the left. This is called reflection. Note that
the reflected pulse is upright and has the same amplitude as
the incident pulse.

Waves are reflected and inverted at a fixed boundary.

Now look at the pulse traveling on a stretched rope that is

fixed at one end. This is shown at right. The rope exerts an
upward force on the wall when the pulse reaches the wall.
The wall exerts an equal and opposite reaction force on thepulse
rope. This downward force on the rope causes a displacement
in the direction opposite the displacement(a) of the original pulse

pulse. The pulse is inverted after reflection.

When a pulse travels down a rope that
is fixed at one end, the reflected pulse is
inverted.

V I B R AT I O N S A N D W AV E S 239
Standing Waves
READING CHECK
suppose you tie a string to a doorknob and shake the free end of
5. Where on a standing wave does
the string up and down in a regular motion. You can make waves the medium have zero
of a certain frequency, wavelength, and amplitude. The waves displacement?
reflect back when they reach the doorknob. You can create a
standing wave if you vibrate the string at just the right frequency.
A standing wave is a resultant wave pattern that appears to be
stationary on the string. The standing wave is made up of
alternating regions of constructive and destructive interference.

Standing waves have nodes and antinodes.

Part a of the picture below shows four possible standing waves

for a given string length. The points at which complete
destructive interference happens are called nodes. There is no
motion in the string at the nodes. But midway between two
adjacent nodes are points at which the string vibrates with the
largest amplitude called antinodes.
Part b shows the movement of the second standing wave
during half a cycle. All points on the string move vertically
with the same frequency except the nodes. The nodes are
stationary. There are three nodes (N) and two antinodes (A)
in the picture.

A
N
N N
t=0
A

1
t = –8 T

1
t = –4 T

3
t = –8 T

1
t = –2 T

(a) These pictures show four possible (b) This diagram shows the
standing waves that can exist on a progression of the second standing
given string. wave for half a cycle.

240 CHAPTER 11
 Only certain frequencies and wavelengths produce
L
standing wave patterns. Three standing waves for a given
string length are shown. The ends of the string must be nodes. (a)
so these points cannot vibrate. A standing wave can form for
any wavelength that allows both ends of the string to be
nodes. Each end in part b is a node and there are no nodes
in between. This standing wave is equal to half a wavelength. (b)
The wavelength in this case is equal to twice the string
length (2L).
The next possible standing wave is shown in part c. It has (c)
three nodes: one at either end and one in the middle. This
wavelength is equal to the string length (L). The wavelength
in part d equals two-thirds of the string length (​ _23  ​ L). (d)
Wavelengths between the values shown here do not produce
standing waves. This is because they allow only one end of the Only certain frequencies produce
standing waves on this fixed string. The
string to be a node. wavelength of these standing waves
depends on the string length. Possible
wavelengths include 2L (b), L (c),
​  2 ​ L (d).
and __
3

SECTION 11.4 REVIEW

REVIEWING MAIN IDEAS
1. A wave of amplitude 0.30 m interferes with a second wave of amplitude
0.20 m. What is the largest resultant displacement that may occur?

2. A stretched string fixed at both ends is 2.0 m long. What are three
wavelengths that will produce standing waves on this string?

3. Name at least one wavelength that would not produce a standing

wave pattern. Explain your answer.

V i b r at i o n s a n d W av e s 241