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written by Dan Russell
This animation with accompanying explanation illustrates the principle of wave superposition:  when two (or more) waves travel through the same medium at the same time, the waves pass through each other without being disturbed.  Net displacement of the medium at any point in space or time is the sum of the individual wave displacements.   Author Dan Russell's text provides support for both concept formation and algebraic applications.  It is part of a larger collection of animations on wave motion, acoustics, and sound.
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Oscillations & Waves
- Wave Motion
= Interference and Diffraction
- High School
- Lower Undergraduate
- Instructional Material
= Unit of Instruction
- Audio/Visual
= Movie/Animation
Appropriate Courses Categories Ratings
- Conceptual Physics
- Algebra-based Physics
- AP Physics
- Activity
- New teachers
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Formats:
text/html
image/gif
video/mpeg
Access Rights:
Free access
Restriction:
© 2003 Dan Russell
Merlot:
pending
Keywords:
sine waves, superposition of waves, wave interference, wave phenomena
Record Cloner:
Metadata instance created May 18, 2006 by Caroline Hall
Record Updated:
August 19, 2020 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
April 1, 2006
Other Collections:

This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.


Topic: Wave Energy
Unit Title: Wave Properties: Frequency, Amplitude, Period, Phase

This animated tutorial by Dan Russell illustrates the principle of wave superposition:  when two (or more) waves travel through the same medium at the same time, the waves pass through each other without being disturbed. It's quite simple, but quite effective.

Link to Unit:
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Record Link
AIP Format
D. Russell, (2003), WWW Document, (https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/superposition/superposition.html).
AJP/PRST-PER
D. Russell, Superposition of Waves (2003), <https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/superposition/superposition.html>.
APA Format
Russell, D. (2006, April 1). Superposition of Waves. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/superposition/superposition.html
Chicago Format
Russell, Daniel. Superposition of Waves. April 1, 2006. https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/superposition/superposition.html (accessed 4 November 2024).
MLA Format
Russell, Daniel. Superposition of Waves. 2003. 1 Apr. 2006. 4 Nov. 2024 <https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/superposition/superposition.html>.
BibTeX Export Format
@misc{ Author = "Daniel Russell", Title = {Superposition of Waves}, Volume = {2024}, Number = {4 November 2024}, Month = {April 1, 2006}, Year = {2003} }
Refer Export Format

%A Daniel Russell %T Superposition of Waves %D April 1, 2006 %U https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/superposition/superposition.html %O text/html

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %A Russell, Daniel %D April 1, 2006 %T Superposition of Waves %V 2024 %N 4 November 2024 %8 April 1, 2006 %9 text/html %U https://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/superposition/superposition.html


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