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Physics stationary waves question

I know that for a stationary wave to form, two waves must be travelling in opposite directions with same frequency, amplitude, and superpose... and i know this is usually done when the incident wave is reflected off a denser medium and so undergoes a phase change of 180 degrees, however, can stationary waves be formed between waves travelling in opposite directions where they are not 180 degrees out of phase? say a wave was reflected off a less dense medium and did not undergo inversion,,, would it still form a stationary wave with the incident wave?
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Original post by Lola1244
I know that for a stationary wave to form, two waves must be travelling in opposite directions with same frequency, amplitude, and superpose... and i know this is usually done when the incident wave is reflected off a denser medium and so undergoes a phase change of 180 degrees, however, can stationary waves be formed between waves travelling in opposite directions where they are not 180 degrees out of phase? say a wave was reflected off a less dense medium and did not undergo inversion,,, would it still form a stationary wave with the incident wave?


Yep, you get a standing wave from superposing two travelling waves moving in opposite directions whether or not there is a phase change on reflection... but the nodes and antinodes will be in different places.

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