Question

How are standing waves similar to beats and how are they different?

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Answer 1

Standing waves and beats are similar in many aspects both have same amplitude .but in standing waves frequencies of both waves are same but in beats two waves have nearly equal frequencies not exactly same. Standing waves propagate in same direction. But in stationary waves propagate in different direction. Standing wavea also known as stationary waves. When two sets of progressive waves trains of the same type (i.e. both longitudinal or both transverse) having the same amplitude and same time period/ frequency/ wavelength travelling with same speed along the same straight line in opposite directions superimpose, a new set of waves are formed. These are called stationary waves or standing waves. When two sound waves of equal amplitude and nearly equal frequencies travelling in a medium along the same direction superimpose on each other, the intensity of the resultant sound at a particular position rises and falls alternately with time. The phenomenon of alternate variation in the intensity of sound with time at a particular position, when two sound waves of newly equal frequencies and amplitudes travelling in the same direction superimpose on each other.