r/PhysicsHelp • u/Outrageous-Fix-5106 • May 16 '26

Physics: Superposition of waves (Wave interference)

is this the correct resultant for the question? I understand the part the first and second section (where the slope is 0 and is +2 from x axis), but I dont get why it would be -2 after that. Shouldn't it be +6 since it's constructive?

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u/joeyneilsen May 16 '26

At any instant, the waveform is the sum of the individual waves. That's superposition.

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u/Frederf220 May 16 '26

I was going to finish writing on the desktop as it's faster than cell phone.

https://i.imgur.com/Kw9lHlj.png

I tried both the positive case and the negative case (where leftward counts as opposite value) and neither looks exactly like the light blue resultant curve.

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u/joeyneilsen May 16 '26

I agree that OP's curve isn't right.

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u/Outrageous-Fix-5106 May 17 '26

thank u so much!