The path difference between two waves is 5m. If the wavelength of the waves emitted by the two sources is 4m, what is the phase difference (in degrees)?
A) 90
B) 400
C) 1.57
D) 7.85
E) 15

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The phase difference is calculated using the formula $\Delta \phi = \frac{2\pi}{\lambda} \Delta x$, where $\Delta x$ is the path difference and $\lambda$ is the wavelength. Substituting the given values, $\Delta \phi = \frac{2\pi}{4} \times 5 = \frac{5\pi}{2}$ radians. Converting to degrees, $\frac{5\pi}{2} \times \frac{180}{\pi} = 450$ degrees. Since phase differences are typically expressed in the range of 0 to 360 degrees, we subtract 360 degrees to get 90 degrees.

The Path Difference Between Two Waves Is 5m