Hello, I want to know about sound cancellation (or perhaps just any wave). It was my understanding that if you transmit a wave that has the same wavelength but opposite phase they will 'cancel out'. However do they need to be the same amplitude?

Question

anonymous · Answer

yes, their energy levels have also to cancel each other so that no net energy is left to push the particles of the medium...

anonymous · Answer

When two sinusoidal waves superimpose, the resulting waveform depends on the frequency (or wavelength), amplitude and relative phase of the two waves. If the two waves have the same amplitude and wavelength and are 180 degree out of phase, they cancel each other out completely and the resulting amplitude will be 0.