Waves, Sound and Light: Light Waves

Light Waves: Audio Guided Solution

Problem 23:

A radio station has two antennae which are used to broadcast their 582 kHz radio wave signal. The Robinson family, who lives in the Cedar Ridge subdivision, have very poor reception when tuned to this signal due to the destructive interference of radio waves from the two antennae. The Robinson home is located a distance of 13.78 km from the nearest antenna. What is the likely minimum distance from the Robinson’s home to the furthest antenna?

Audio Guided Solution

Habits of an Effective Problem Solver

  • Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
  • Identify the known and unknown quantities and record in an organized manner, often times they can be recorded on the diagram itself. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity (e.g., v = 3.00x108 m/s, λ = 554 nm, f = ???).
  • Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
  • Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
  • Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.

Read About It!

Get more information on the topic of Light Waves at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.

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