Question

Which pair of terms accurately describes the outcomes of constructive and destructive interference?

A. Constructive: Assistance leading to increased energy; Destructive: Nullification resulting in no energy creation.
B. Constructive: Collaboration generating no energy; Destructive: Mutual reinforcement creating more energy.
C. Constructive: Combined effort yielding more energy; Destructive: Cancellation resulting in no energy production.
D. Constructive: Cooperation leading to no energy generation; Destructive: Elimination causing an increase in energy.

Answer 1

The correct terms for the outcomes of constructive and destructive interference are combined effort yielding more energy and cancellation resulting in no energy production, respectively.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer to the question which pair of terms accurately describes the outcomes of constructive and destructive interference is C. Constructive: Combined effort yielding more energy; Destructive: Cancellation resulting in no energy production. Constructive interference occurs when two waves are in phase, meaning their peaks and troughs align, resulting in a new wave with greater amplitude. Figures 5.28(a), 8.28(a), and 17.29 illustrate that when in-phase waves combine, constructive interference can produce a wave with greater amplitude. On the other hand, destructive interference happens when two waves are out of phase by half a wavelength, causing their peaks to align with the troughs of the other, effectively canceling each other out. Figures 5.28(b), 8.28(b), and 16.34 demonstrate how destructive interference can result in a wave with less or no amplitude.