What term is used for when waves lose their individual characteristics and combine to form a single wave?

The process where waves lose their individual characteristics and combine to form a single wave is known as interference. This phenomenon occurs when two or more waves overlap in space, leading to a new wave pattern. Depending on the phase relationship between the overlapping waves, interference can be constructive or destructive.

In constructive interference, the waves combine to create a wave with a larger amplitude, while in destructive interference, the waves may cancel each other out, resulting in a reduced or null amplitude. This fundamental concept is critical in various areas of physics, particularly in wave behavior, and plays a significant role in techniques used in sonography and ultrasound imaging. Understanding interference helps sonographers interpret the resulting images, as it can influence the clarity and resolution of the scanned body parts.

The other terms—refraction, diffraction, and reflection—describe different wave behaviors but do not refer directly to the combination of waves as interference does. Refraction pertains to the bending of waves as they pass from one medium to another, diffraction involves the spreading of waves around obstacles or through openings, and reflection deals with waves bouncing back upon encountering a different medium.