Who knew science could be so fun and so wet? This dad took the opportunity to teach his young sons the physics principle of “constructive wave interference” using their backyard pool and a styrofoam board. The end results are a lot of fun to watch!
Constructive wave interference is the phenomenon that occurs when two waves meet while traveling along the same medium. The definition is fully described as, “The interference of two or more waves of equal frequency and phase, resulting in their mutual reinforcement and producing a single amplitude equal to the sum of the amplitudes of the individual waves.”
I won’t get into the science behind it but basically, when the waves collide into one another, their combined amplitudes form a spike (with their combined force) and then dissipate. That’s why it appears that there’s a large wave erupting out of the centre of the pool when the dad produces waves with the board.
The family is having a lot of fun together regardless of the science behind it, but I love how this dad combined learning with playtime!
Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links.