Wave Interference
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Original Sim and Translations |
Topics
- Interference
- Double Slit
- Diffraction
- Waves
Description
Make waves with a dripping faucet, audio speaker, or laser! Add a second source to create an interference pattern. Put up a barrier to explore single-slit diffraction and double-slit interference. Experiment with diffraction through elliptical, rectangular, or irregular apertures.
Sample Learning Goals
- Make waves with water, sound, and light and see how they are related.
- Design an experiment to measure the speed of the wave.
- Create an interference pattern with two sources, and determine the ways to change the pattern.
- Find points of constructive and destructive interference by eye and by using the detectors.
- Put up a barrier to see how the waves move through one or two slits. What sort of pattern do the slits create? How can you change this pattern?
- For light, predict the locations of the fringes that appear on the screen using d sin(θ) = mλ. Use the tape measure to verify your predictions.
- Explain how the aperture geometry relates to the diffraction pattern.
- Predict how changing the wavelength or aperture size affects the diffraction pattern.
Teacher Tips
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Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ). |
Teacher-Submitted Activities
Waves Interference Remote Labs |
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Trish Loeblein | HS UG-Intro |
Lab Remote |
Earth Science Physics |
Concept questions for Physics using PhET (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | HS UG-Intro |
MC | Physics |
Algebra-based Physics Semester one lessons, clicker questions, and schedule in pdf (Inquiry Based) |
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Trish Loeblein | UG-Intro HS |
HW Lab Demo |
Physics |
Invention Lab_Wave Interference |
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Noah Podolefsky | UG-Intro HS |
Lab | Physics |
Wave Interference (PreAP) |
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Elyse Zimmer | HS | Lab | Physics | |
Wave Interference with Water Waves (AP) |
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Elyse Zimmer | HS | Lab | Physics | |
Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS |
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Trish Loeblein updated by Diana López | HS MS |
Other | Chemistry Biology Earth Science Physics |
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How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? |
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Sarah Borenstein | MS | Other | Chemistry Earth Science Biology Physics |
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PhET Sims Aligned to the Chemistry Curriculum |
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Julia Chamberlain | UG-Intro HS |
Other | Chemistry | |
Guided Discovery (Chinese/English) for Freshman University Physics: 6. Wave Interference | Janet Chen (陳衫豫), Charity Grace White (白愛恩), Jonathon David White (白小明 | UG-Intro | Remote Guided Lab |
Physics | ||
Guided Discovery (Chinese/English) for Freshman University Physics: 5. Introduction to Waves | Janet Chen (陳衫豫), Charity Grace White (白愛恩), Jonathon David White (白小明) | UG-Intro | Lab Remote Guided |
Physics | ||
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment | Elyse Zimmer | MS HS |
Other | Chemistry Physics Biology |
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In/Post-Class Worksheet, Wave Interference, Sound/Water, PhET | Solmaz Khodaeifaal | HS MS |
HW Demo Lab Guided |
Physics | ||
Pre/In/Post-Class Worksheet, Wave Interference, PhET | Solmaz Khodaeifaal | HS MS |
Lab Remote Discuss HW Demo Guided Other |
Physics | ||
Mapping of PhET and IBDP Physics | Jaya Ramchandani | HS | Other | Physics | ||
Wave Interference- Waves (Sound and Light) | Lonny Villalobos, M.Ed. | MS | Other Guided |
Physics Earth Science |
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Waves on a String and Wave Interference Virtual Labs | Jennifer Hamilton | HS MS |
Guided Lab HW |
Physics | ||
Serie de Labs virtuales de Ondas |
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Trish Loeblein (traducción de Diana López) | UG-Intro HS |
Lab HW Guided Remote Discuss |
Physics | |
PREPARATORIA: Alineación de PhET con programas de la DGB México (2017) |
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Diana López | HS UG-Intro |
Other | Chemistry Mathematics Physics |
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大一物理引導式自我發現 (中文/英文): 干涉和衍射 | Janet Chen (陳衫豫), Charity Grace White (白愛恩), Jonathon David White (白小明 | UG-Intro | Guided Lab Remote |
Physics | ||
大一物理引導式自我發現 (中文/英文): 波浪介紹 | Janet Chen (陳衫豫), Charity Grace White (白愛恩), Jonathon David White (白小明) | UG-Intro | Guided Lab Remote |
Physics | ||
GUIA LABORATORIO ONDAS | Raúl Eduardo Cruz Garzón | HS UG-Intro |
Lab | Physics |
Browse legacy activities.
HTML5 sims can run on iPads and Chromebooks, as well as PC, Mac, and Linux systems.
iPad:
iOS 12+ Safari
iPad compatible sims
Android:
Not officially supported. If you are using the HTML5 sims on Android, we recommend using the latest version of Google Chrome.
Chromebook:
Latest version of Google Chrome
The HTML5 and Flash PhET sims are supported on all Chromebooks.
Chromebook compatible sims
Windows Systems:
Microsoft Edge, latest version of Firefox, latest version of Google Chrome.
Macintosh Systems:
macOS 10.13+, Safari 13+, latest version of Chrome.
Linux Systems:
Not officially supported. Please contact phethelp@colorado.edu with troubleshooting issues.
Design Team | Third-party Libraries | Thanks To |
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