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PRACTICE / Path difference

A quarter wavelength of extra travel

Two coherent waves of equal frequency arrive with path difference λ/4 in the same medium. They start in phase.

Find their phase-difference magnitude on arrival.

Organize the givens & assumptions
  • Δ = λ/4
  • initial phase difference = 0

Coherent equal-frequency waves start in phase and traverse the same uniform medium; no extra reflection-phase shift.

  1. A2π rad2\pi\ \mathrm{rad}
  2. B1/4 rad1/4\ \mathrm{rad}
  3. Cπ/2 rad\pi/2\ \mathrm{rad}
  4. Dπ rad\pi\ \mathrm{rad}

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