Does wave interference produce the beat pattern? Set both amplitudes to +30 and

Question

Does wave interference produce the beat pattern? Set both amplitudes to +30 and one frequency to 3.4 kHz and the other to 4.0 kHz. Observe that the red and green waves add together to produce large amplitude waves in the beat pattern when the red and green waves are in phase and small amplitude waves when they are not in phase. It may be easier to do this addition with the waves shown below. Add the disturbances caused by each wave at the times represented by the vertical lines. See if the resultant disturbance in the beat pattern is just the sum of the individual disturbances. When you are finished, you should be convinced that the formation of beats is just another example of wave interference.

Explanation / Answer

Yes, wave interference DOES produce a beat pattern. Beats are the periodic and repeating fluctuations heard in the intensity of a sound when two sound waves of very similar frequencies interfere with one another. A beat pattern is characterized by a wave whose amplitude is changing at a regular rate. Observe that the beat pattern repeatedly oscillates from zero amplitude to a large amplitude, at 2.5 seconds,, back to zero amplitude throughout the pattern. Points of constructive interference are at 2.5 seconds and destructive interference are at 5 seconds. When constructive interference occurs between two crests or two troughs, a loud sound is heard. This corresponds to a peak on the beat pattern. When destructive interference between a crest and a trough occurs, no sound is heard; this corresponds to a point of no displacement on the beat pattern.

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