PRE-U TEXT PHYSICS VOLUME 2 ISBN: 978 983 3879 85 4

PRE-U TEXT
Physics Volume 2

Chapter 27 Physical Optics

Practice 27

At the end of this chapter you must know the following:

Huygens Principle

Interference

Air Wedge

Thin Film

Polarisation

STPM : 1999, P1/Q29; 2002, P1/Q5; 2005, P1/Q15; 2005, P1/Q16; 2005, P1/Q18
Reference : Pages 235 to 236

Guide

Huygens Principle

Each point on an existing wave front can be considered to be a point source

of secondary wavelets. Each point source emits wavelets of the same

frequency as the propagating waves. The speed of the wavelets is determined

by the medium through which the waves propagate.

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PRE-U TEXT PHYSICS VOLUME 2 ISBN: 978 983 3879 85 4

Interference

Constructive interference

Destructive interference

Coherent sources

Definition The sources of similar waves are coherent if the waves they

produce have the same frequency, amplitude and a constant

phase difference.

p = m p = optical path difference

m = 0, 1, 2, 3an integer constructive interference

For destructive interference,

p = (m + 1/2)

Youngs interference pattern

y = D y = fringe separation
a

Thin Film

p = 2nt cos

2nt = (m + ) (constructive)

2nt = m (destructive)

t = (/4n) t = minimum thickness of the thin film

Diffraction Grating

dsinm = m

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PRE-U TEXT PHYSICS VOLUME 2 ISBN: 978 983 3879 85 4

Polarisation

Definition A transverse wave which has its vibration confined to one

plane (plane-polarised or linearly-polarised)

Maluss Law: I = I0 cos2

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