wave addition

Homework for C block (due M0nday)
Homework for E block (due Tuesday)

Add (or subtract, as the case may be) the following waves (either on paper or on calculator):

sin x + 2 sin x

sin 2x - sin x

(Note that the 2 in sin 2x refers to the frequency.)

sin x + 2 cos x

2 sin 2x + 3 cos 3x

4 sin x - 2 cos 2x

Now, I'm no wave snob - feel free to try your own instead of mine!

Ultimately, you're generating a "superposed" wave - a third wave that is the mathematical sum of the original waves.

Of course, you can add more than just 2 waves....

2 sin x + 3 cos 2x - sin 4x

And we haven't even talked about phase differences. Consider the difference between these waves:

sin x
sin (x + 45)

Can you see the difference?

Play and comment.