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Waves Interference Remote Lab2 (3) (4)

Introductory Physics (University of Illinois at Chicago)

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Waves Interference Remote Lab 2 Interference

(This‌‌l‌esson‌‌is‌designed‌‌for‌‌‌a‌‌student‌‌‌working‌‌remotely‌.)‌‌

This‌lab‌uses‌the‌Waves Interference‌simulation‌from‌PhET‌Interactive‌Simulations‌at‌University‌of‌
Colorado‌Boulder,‌under‌the‌CC-BY‌4.0‌license.
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/wave-interference/latest/wave-interference_en.html

Note about prior learning: Students‌should‌have‌completed‌‌‌Waves‌on‌a‌String‌Remote‌Lab‌‌and‌Waves‌

Interference‌Remote‌Lab‌‌1‌‌(or‌‌‌Waves‌Intro‌‌Remote‌Lab‌‌‌‌)‌or‌lessons‌with‌similar‌learning‌goals.

Learning Goals:‌Students‌will‌be‌able‌to:
A. Create‌an‌interference‌pattern‌with‌two‌sources,‌and‌determine‌the‌ways‌to‌change‌the‌pattern.
B. Find‌points‌of‌constructive‌and‌destructive‌interference‌by‌eye‌and‌by‌using‌the‌detectors.
C. Put‌up‌a‌barrier‌to‌see‌how‌the‌waves‌move‌through‌one‌or‌two‌slits.‌What‌sort‌of‌pattern‌do‌the‌
slits‌create?‌How‌can‌you‌change‌this‌pattern?

Develop your understanding: Open‌the‌Interference‌screen,‌then‌explore‌to‌make‌water‌waves‌with‌

varying‌patterns.

Explain your understanding:

1. Consider‌these three‌patterns‌of‌water‌waves:‌

A‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌B‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌C
a. Describe‌the‌similarities‌and‌differences‌of‌the three‌patterns‌of‌water‌waves.‌

i. The wave patterns between pictures A and B are similar because they both have
interference patterns which shows there are multiple sources. Picture C’s wave
patterns does not show any wave interference. A and C also share the similarity
of frequencies and this is shown from the crests and troughs of the wave. C and B
do not have any other similarities other than the amplitude of the waves.

b. Experiment‌to‌make‌similar‌patterns,‌then‌explain‌how‌you‌can‌use‌the‌simulation‌to‌
make‌each.

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i. To replicate A I turned on both faucets to have wave interference and put the
simulation frequency at the midpoint and the amplitude at the maximum, and set
the two taps at a separation of 2 cm. To replicate B I used a 3 cm gap between the
two faucets which were both on, the frequency was at the maximum and
amplitude was also at maximum. To replicate C, I set the frequency to midpoint
and amplitude to the max and the separation between the two faucets was at a
minimum, however I only had one of the faucets on. (figure 1)-A (figure 2)- B,
(figure 3)-C.

c. Why‌do‌the‌directions‌say‌“similar‌patterns”?

i. Similar is used because all are interference patterns and have the basic
phenomenon behind all are the superposition of waves.

2. Experiment‌to‌make‌waves‌of‌different‌interference‌patterns‌with‌water,‌sound,‌and‌light.‌
Use‌your‌own‌words‌and‌captured‌images‌from‌the‌simulation‌to‌show‌you‌can‌meet‌
learning‌goal‌A:‌‌“Create‌an‌interference‌pattern‌with‌two‌sources,‌and‌determine‌the‌ways‌to‌
change‌the‌pattern.”
i. If there are two or more wave fronts that cross or interact with one another,
interference patterns will always occur. Constructive interference occurs when
waves are in phase with each other and they are added together making much
larger waves, with constructive interference the amplitude of these waves is
higher. On the other hand there is destructive interference which is when the
waves cancel each other out. The simulation shows the different interferences
with different colors for the waves. When the faucets or sources are closer
together there is less interference and the lower the frequency the less
interference occurs.
ii. figures 4 shows half the maximum amplitude, figure 5 shows minimum
separation, and figure 6 shows maximum separation interference waves.

3. Use‌the‌Water‌Level tool‌‌to‌understand‌what‌is‌happening‌in‌the‌
water‌tank:

a. Measure‌the‌dark‌and‌light‌areas‌of‌waves‌made‌with‌only‌one‌faucet.‌Insert‌a‌screen‌
image‌to‌help‌explain‌your‌answer.
i. When there is only one faucet on there is no interference, there is only a
change in the amplitude bc of the energy of the wave transferring out. The
wave is going up and down and different points as shown by the water level
tool and it shows the displacement of the wave. This is seen by the light and
dark areas in the simulation waves, the dark areas are lower water level and
the light areas are higher water levels.

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1.

b. ‌Make‌waves‌using‌both‌faucets‌and‌measure‌the‌dark,‌light‌and‌fuzzy‌spots.‌Insert‌a‌
screen‌image‌to‌help‌explain‌your‌answer.
i. Both faucets being on causes wave interference. The light areas represent the
crests and the dark areas represent the troughs of the wave interference. The
water level tool shows the amplitude changing to a much larger scale. This is
because the net resultant amplitude is much higher than when it was just one
faucet on. The fuzzy parts of the waves where they meet each other, cancel out
and there is no wave because its amplitude is 0.

1.

c. What‌do‌you‌think‌constructive‌and‌destructive‌interference‌means‌based‌on‌your‌
measurements?
i. Constructive interference is the result of two waves being in phase with each
other, which aligns their crests and troughs resulting in the amplitude to be
twice the size as a normal wave. Destructive interference is when two waves
are mostly out of phase so the crests and troughs cancel each other out and
there is almost 0 amplitude because of the net amplitude.

d. Verify‌your‌understanding‌using‌your‌text‌or‌online‌references.‌(cite‌references)
i. The link below is a UConn article that specifies more about constructive and
deconstructive interference using visual aids. This really helped me
understand how it works in relation to amplitude.
ii. https://www.phys.uconn.edu/~gibson/Notes/Section5_2/Sec5_2.htm

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1. Consider‌the‌light‌pattern‌on‌the‌right:

a. Describe‌where‌the‌points‌of‌constructive‌and‌destructive
interference‌are‌in‌the‌image‌on‌the‌right.

i. The fuzzy lines are points of destructive interference and the

blue and black squares are representative of constructive
interference.

a. Create‌a‌similar‌wave‌pattern‌and‌use‌the‌detectors‌to‌find‌points‌of
constructive‌and‌destructive‌interference.‌

i.

b. Explain‌how‌you‌made‌the‌waves‌and‌used‌the‌detector.‌Insert‌an‌image‌of‌the‌entire‌screen‌
for‌evidence.

i. To recreate the waves I put the separation to 2500 nm and had the amplitude set to
the maximum amount and the frequency about ¾ the way up the bar. I also set the
separation a little lower. I used the detectors on the fuzzy area and the black and blue
areas to show the amplitudes of each of the constructive and destructive
interferences.

1.

ii.

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5.‌‌These‌three‌patterns‌were‌made‌with‌sound‌waves‌by‌varying‌only‌one‌thing.‌

.‌
A‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌B‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌C
a. What‌do‌you‌think‌was‌varied?
i. I think the distance between the two sources was varied.
b. Test‌your‌idea‌by‌making‌similar‌patterns.‌
i.
c. Is
there
more
than
one
way to‌
make
these‌three‌patterns‌by‌varying‌only‌one‌thing?‌Test‌your‌ideas‌and‌provide‌evidence‌for‌
support.
i. After testing a few different methods, varying frequency would be the best thing
to change in order to replicate these 3 patterns. To replicate A I just had to put the
frequency setting to half. To replicate B, the frequency was set to maximum
because it lowered the wavelength. For C I put the frequency to a minimum value
and that was the closest I was able to get it to the picture.

1. - this was the reproduction of B when frequency was

max

d. Try‌to‌make‌similar‌patterns‌with‌light.‌Describe‌your‌observations‌and‌ideas.

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i. The frequency of light waves is much larger than the frequency of the south
waves so with a higher frequency there are more areas of destructive interferences
that occur.

1. - this was recreating B

with the frequency at the maximum.

2. -recreating A

3. - recreating C

6.‌Summarize‌key‌ideas‌that‌you‌want‌to‌remember‌about‌the‌relationships‌of‌interference‌
patterns‌of‌water,‌sound‌and‌light‌waves.‌
i. Interference can be observed with water waves and occurs when there are two or more
sources that can produce these waves. When these two sources are moved further apart from
each other, there are more destructive interference areas and when the sources move closer
together there are less destructive interference. Destructive interference is when the two waves
are out of phase so the amplitudes cancel each other out and is zero. The properties that can
affect the types of waves are amplitude which changes the height of the wave. The other is
frequency which is seen in the visual as dark and light areas becoming smaller. Constructive
interference patterns are caused when the two waves are in phase with each other and the
amplitude is added up.

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Develop your understanding: Open‌the‌Slits‌screen,‌then‌explore‌to‌make‌water‌waves‌with‌varying‌

patterns.

Explain your understanding:

7.‌How‌do‌waves‌made‌by‌a‌dripping‌faucet‌compare‌to‌the‌waves‌seen‌passing‌through‌slits?‌You‌
may‌want‌to‌have‌both‌Interference‌and‌Slits‌open‌(or‌open‌the‌full‌simulation‌Waves Interference),‌
so‌that‌you‌can‌easily‌compare‌the‌waves‌and‌their‌patterns.
i. The dripping faucet onto the wave causes the frequency to stay the same throughout, it just
moves up and down. When a wave is passed through the single slit, diffraction occurs. The light
spreads out and after it passes through the slit, it interferes with itself. The intensity stays the same
from the point where the drop was placed until the point in which it goes through the slit. If the wave
passes through two slits, the intensity is highest in between the two slits and there will be light areas
above and below the 2 slits and areas with diffraction across from the slits.

8.‌Do‌the‌same‌concepts‌apply‌when‌you‌compare the‌
sound‌and‌light‌waves‌in‌Interference‌and‌Slits‌screens?
i. Yes the results and concepts apply to both sound and light waves. Sound and slit simulator are
the same because there are no interference patterns. There is the obvious shape difference though. For
sound source we see that the amplitude is similar to the slit width and the detector shows the same
amplitude for both simulations. Most patterns generated by the slit simulation can be almost exactly
replicated by the two sound sources.

9.‌Summarize‌your‌understanding‌of‌waves‌as‌they‌pass‌through‌slits.‌Make‌sure‌you‌demonstrate‌
meeting‌learning‌goal‌C‌“Put‌up‌a‌barrier‌to‌see‌how‌the‌waves‌move‌through‌one‌or‌two‌slits.‌What‌
sort‌of‌pattern‌do‌the‌slits‌create?‌How‌can‌you‌change‌this‌pattern?”

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i. In order to understand the motion of waves as they pass through slits, it is important to
understand diffraction. Diffraction is the bending of waves around an obstacle or in this case the
barrier. The wave pattern differs depending on the slit width and the wavelength of the wave. Before
passing through the slit, if the wavelength is less than the slit width, the diffraction of the waves causes
them to spread out as they pass through the slit. That is why we see the waves resemble a semicircle
motion. If the wavelength is greater than the slit width, the waves don’t spread out a lot and so this
creates a concentration of constructive interference towards the center and destructive interference
elsewhere as we saw in the simulation. In other words as the slit width increases, the spread of the
waves decreases and vice versa. The slit width variable is responsible for changing the pattern in one
slit simulation.Increasing the slit separation does the opposite and so there are more horizontal “fuzzy
lines” separating regions of constructive interference. All of these aspects can be used to change the
pattern of the waves.

Screenshots
figure 1, 2, 3

figure
4,5,6

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