Superposition of Waves

When two (or more) waves travel through the same medium at the same time they pass through each other without being disturbed.

Superposition of Waves

Figure: Superposition of Waves, animation courtesy of Dr. Dan Russell, Penn State University.

The principle of superposition:

• displacement of the medium at any point in space or time is the sum of individual displacements;
• only true if medium is nondispersive (all frequencies travel at the same speed).