Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 21 - Superposition - Exercises and Problems - Page 625: 68

Answer

See the detailed answer below.

Work Step by Step

First, we need to sketch the problem, as seen below. $$\color{blue}{\bf [a]}$$ We know that the phase difference is given by $$\Delta \phi=\dfrac{2\pi \Delta r}{\lambda}+\Delta \phi_0$$ where $\Delta \phi_0=0$ since the courses are identical, and $\lambda=c/f$ where $c$ is the speed of the electromagnetic waves. $$\Delta \phi=\dfrac{2\pi f \Delta r}{c}\tag 1$$ Now we need to find $\Delta r$ which is given by $$\Delta r=r_2-r_1$$ $$\Delta r=\sqrt{(600-[-50])^2+(800-0)^2}-\sqrt{(600-50)^2+(800-0)^2}=\bf 60\;\rm m$$ Plugging all the known into (1); $$\Delta \phi=\dfrac{2\pi (3\times 10^6)(60)}{(3\times 10^8)} $$ $$\Delta \phi=\frac{6}{5}\pi=\color{red}{\bf 1.2\pi}\;\rm rad$$ $$\color{blue}{\bf [b]}$$ To find the type of interference, we need to find the wavelength and compare it with the path difference between these two waves. If the path difference was an integer of $\lambda$, it is a perfect constructive interference. And if it is an integer of $\frac{1}{2}\lambda$, it is a perfect constructive interference. If neither that nor this, it is somewhere in between. $$\lambda=\dfrac{c}{f}=\dfrac{3\times 10^8}{3\times 10^6}=\bf 100\;\rm m$$ So, $$\dfrac{\Delta r}{\lambda}\lambda=\dfrac{60}{100}\lambda=0.6\lambda$$ Therefore, it is $\color{red}{\bf {\text{ somewhere in between}}}$. $$\color{blue}{\bf [c]}$$ As we move north, the path length difference increases and hence the phase difference increases until we reach a point at which $\Delta \phi =2\pi$ where the interference there is a perfect constructive one. Therefore, the signal strength$\color{red}{\bf {\text{ increases}}}$.
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