Can someone give me a SIMPLE definition of what in-phase and out-of-phase waves are please?

Question

Please describe without using constructive and destructive interference.

Answer 1

In phase are happily marching along with each other. Out of phase are banging into each other.

Answer 2

In phase refers to the condition when in an electrical circuit the inductive and capacitive components are in balance. You would see a wave that looked like three seperate, but equally spaced waveforms and thus producing the maximum amount of power. If current or volatge is either leading, or lagging then the circuit would be out of phase and not be capable of producing the maximum power, even though the voltage remained the same. If they don't work exactly together then they subtract from the other.
Does that help or do I need to say it another way?

Answer 3

In physics, the idea of phase is used to compare the motion of two or more different waves.

In phase means that the peaks (crests) and troughs of different waves match up.
Out of phase means that the peaks and troughs of different waves mismatch.

That's pretty much all you need to know at your level.

For a visual picture of my definition above, look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_%28waves%29.

Ignore the mathematical detail and only look at the second and third pictures down the page.

In the context of electronics, see the poster above me.

Answer 4

Electromagnetic waves have, not surprisingly, magnetic and electric fields. When the fields point in the same direction, the waves are in-phase and when they're opposite, out of phase.