When a crest of one wave meets a trough of another wave
or when a compression of one wave meets a rarefaction of
another wave there is cancellation. Each wave has
energy. The energy cannot be just cancelled - law of
conservation. Does the energy go into heating the air
(medium)? Normal levels of sound don't really carry that
much energy so I would expect the level of heating to be
small. Am I on the right track?
Tim O'Donnell
Instructor of Physics and Chemistry
Celina High School
715 East Wayne Street
Celina, Ohio 45822
(419) 586-8300 Ext 1200 or 1201
odonnt@celina.k12.oh.us
"Chance only favors the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur