Show Me Some Science! Superposition

 In Shopcasts and Videos, Show Me Some Science

The Little Shop of Physics team uses a giant water balloon to demonstrate waves!

What Happening?

When part of the balloon is pushed it recoils, and the energy transfers all along the balloon. This transfer of energy is a wave. When multiple waves travel into each other, they interfere. If two or more waves are in phase when they interfere (going up or down at the same time), they can add together and become a larger wave. This is called constructive interference.

Brian has a large team of people all create waves on the balloon at the same time, and the effects are pretty amazing!