If two water waves are traveling toward each other, one with a + 3 m amplitude and one with a + 5 m amplitude, what is the resulting amplitude when they meet?

A - 3 m

B - 5 m

C - 0 m

D - 8 m

E - 2 m

Right answer: 8 m

When two waves propagate in the same medium, in the same or opposite direction, they overlap (superposition), that is, the individual waves are added producing a resultant wave. When the superposition of the waves occurs, they continue to advance after the encounter happens, conserving their properties, such as amplitude, frequency, wavelength and speed.

In this case, we have two water waves travelling in opposite directions with differente amplitude, when both waves encounter each other, at that moment the amplitude of the resultant wave is the sum of both, that is:

5m + 3m = 8 m

Therefore, the correct option is D