IB skill practice

Use interference path difference and phase difference

Paper 1, Paper 2 5 marks Difficulty 5

the correct interpretation

Two coherent waves in a ambulance siren recording reach a point with path difference \(0.3\,\text{m}\). If \(\lambda=0.12\,\text{m}\), calculate the phase difference in radians. Enter the numerical result and choose the interpretation that matches the wave physics.

Worked practice: physics data and result

Read the physical quantities first, then calculate the result and state what it means.