Two waves with the same frequency and wavelength but with different amplitudes are added.If A₁ = 2A₂ and the waves are 180º out of phase,then the amplitude of the resultant wave is A)zero. B)the same as A₁. C)the same as A₂. D)equal to A₁ + A₂. E)coherent.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When two waves with the same frequency and wavelength but with different amplitudes are added while they are 180º out of phase, the resulting wave is the difference between the two waves. Therefore, the amplitude of the resultant wave is equal to |A₂ - A₁|. Since we know that 2A₂ = A₁, we can substitute this into the expression for the amplitude of the resultant wave to get |A₂ - A₁| = |A₂ - (1/2)A₂| = (1/2)A₂. Therefore, the amplitude of the resultant wave is the same as A₂, which is Choice C.

Two Waves with the Same Frequency and Wavelength but with Different