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Interference describes different waves superposing to form a resultant wave of greater, lower, or the same amplitude. Normally, it involves interaction of waves that are correlated (coherent) with each other, either because they come from the same source, or because they have the same or nearly the same frequency. Interference effects can be observed with all types of waves, e.g., light, radio, acoustic, surface, or matter waves.

2 votes

Why does a wave not interfere with its secondary wavelets?

At that point in the model the 'main wave' is essentially replaced by the set of wavelets--so the wavelets don't actually coexist with the 'main wave', so no interference can occur between the 'main wave …
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1 vote

Principle of interference between two waves of same wavelength

"Why does the path length difference have to be an integer multiple of the wavelength in order to obtain constructive interference?" … the path length difference is an integer multiple of the wavelength the two sinusoids would be in phase (zero phase shift between them) and add together in a trivial manner giving total constructive interference
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1 vote
Accepted

What to find the path difference in constructive interference?

Re. "Where do these equations come from?" Note that $sin(\theta + n\lambda)$ = $sin(\theta)$ so a phase shift of $n\lambda$ leaves the two waves in phase so they reinforce. Whereas $sin(\theta + (n …
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0 votes

Huygens' principle: Its correct interpretation, and why there is no destructive interference...

The wave equation has two initial conditions: the initial displacement, and the initial speed of the initial displacement. If the initial speed of the initial displacement is given the appropriate val …
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0 votes

Superposition of waves and interference

The principle of superposition valid for waves that do not travel in the same plane. The math is the same--simple addition.
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3 votes
Accepted

Why is beam forming more energy efficient than a straight up omnidirectional signal?

Re. "...how beam forming is far more efficient than an omnidirectional signal of similar amplitude." This statement implies that the goal is to transmit the signal in a particular direction. If inst …
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1 vote

Intuitive explanation for why central fringe in twice the width of others in single slit exp...

The fringe pattern is analogous to the sinc function transmit/receive beam pattern from a monochromatic aperture. In these the side lobe angular spacing is determined by the change in transmit/receiv …
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2 votes

How does Huygens Principle incorporate the unidirectional property of a traveling wave?

Addressing your final question: "I am not understanding how his reasoning actually averts the possibility of formation of back-waves. Can anyone help me visualise what he is talking? How does his rea …
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2 votes

How does Huygens Principle explain interference?

Huygens' principle by itself does not address interference. His wavelets are shown as apparently positive pulses. … Fresnel later added the idea of instead using sinusoidal wavelets thus allowing for interference since the sinusoidal wavelets have both positive and negative values making additive cancellation possible …
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1 vote

Why does classical physics not predict particles in the double-slit experiment to land in ju...

Why does classical physics not predict particles in the double-slit experiment to land in just two different locations? It does according to the previous answers???
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7 votes

Why is Huygens' principle only valid in an odd number of spatial dimensions?

I think this originated with Hadamard and his Method of Descent. See Lectures on Cauchys Problem in Linear Partial differential Equations--starting on page 7. His results were that waves in two dimen …
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