Using 3D virtual environments to visualize wave interference phenomena

Information and Communication Technologies have demonstrated to be extremely effective in the transmission of scientific knowledge. Nowadays, the development of software and hardware makes it possible to simulate physical processes as close to reality as required. Furthermore, complex physical processes benefit from graphical simplicity in order to emphasize the main points for a complete understanding. In this work we focus our attention on the interference of coherent scalar waves in homogeneous media. Digital simulations have been designed in order to help the students to understand this phenomenon. Examples of interference of plane waves and cylindrical waves are visualized in space-time scales as the main advantage over traditional teaching resources.