Find a wave function, g(x,t), that will produce a standing wave with a node at x=0, (i.e., at the center.)
Simulations are often used at Davidson College in conjunction with a laboratory exercise. This simulation demonstrates how two waves add using the superposition principle. Students often have difficulty with functions of two variables, such as the wave equation. An incorrect expression almost always is evident in the animation while a correct expression gives an ah-ha effect.
Physlet: Superposition
Credits:
Problem by Wolfgang Christian
Script by Wolfgang Christian