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Two Sources

Part of the Optics, Waves and Modern Physics section of Coddy's Physics journey. Lesson 25 of 53.

Two sources in step, each sending out circular ripples.

Two sources in a ripple tank

Crest meets crest: big waves. Crest meets trough: calm water.

At a point P it depends on the path difference |r₁ − r₂|, in wavelengths.

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Challenge

A point P in a ripple tank is 5 cm from S₁ and 6.5 cm from S₂. The ripples have a wavelength of 1 cm. How many wavelengths N is the path difference?

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