What describes a situation where two waves combine completely and cancel each other out?

In the context of wave behavior, when two waves meet and their effects completely cancel each other, this is referred to as destructive interference. This phenomenon occurs when the crests of one wave align with the troughs of another wave. When these opposing phases meet, they effectively negate each other, leading to a situation where the net amplitude of the resulting wave is zero. In essence, the two waves are completely out of phase.

Destructive interference is a significant concept in understanding wave interactions, including applications in various fields such as acoustics, optics, and even engineering. It explains why certain sounds can be silenced in specific environments or how certain materials can be designed to minimize unwanted vibrations. Each of the other terms represents different wave behaviors that do not relate to this cancellation effect: constructive interference enhances the amplitude, standing waves are a result of interference under specific conditions, and resonant frequency refers to the natural frequency at which a system tends to oscillate with maximum amplitude.