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Physics Online
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Waves - coherence and path difference
This video introduces explains the difference between the phase difference of a wave (measured in degrees) and the path difference of a wave (measured in metres of fraction of a wavelength).
When waves are coherent and have a path difference that is a multiple of λ, then the interference is constructive. However, if coherent waves have travelled n λ + λ/2, the interference results is 100% destructive.
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