When we see destructive interference at work, what happens to the sound waves?
a. They create pockets of loud noise.
b. They cancel each other and form a wave of lower or no amplitude.
c. They enhance each other and form a wave of higher amplitude.
d. They pass by each other without interacting.
The correct answer is b. They cancel each other and form a wave of lower or no amplitude.
When destructive interference occurs, two sound waves that are out of phase (opposite in terms of peaks and troughs) meet and combine, resulting in the cancellation or reduction of their amplitudes. This happens because the crests of one wave align with the troughs of the other, causing them to effectively cancel each other out. As a result, the resulting wave has a lower amplitude or no amplitude at all in some regions, leading to quieter or even silent areas known as "nodes."