CERTIFICATE

This is to certify Mr. Prateek Jaiswal

Of Class XII Roll No.___________
has worked under my supervision on
The Project________________________
______________________ and completed
it to my total satisfaction.

Teacher
______________
(Vivek Misra)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It is my duty to record my sincere thanks and
deep sense of gratitude to my respected
teacher______________. For his/her
valuable guidance and constant
encouragement for the fulfillment of the
project.
I am also highly obliged to our lab assistant
Mr. surinder who provided me the required
apparatus and materials along with
encouragement.

CONTENTS
 Aim

Theory

Experiment

Interference Patterns

Derivation

Observations

Graph

Conditions

Bibliography

AIM
 To observe the interference pattern by
performing Double Slit Experimenent.
To derive the expression for fringe width.
To draw the intensity vs. path difference
graph.

THEORY
COHERENT SOURCES
 The sources of light, which emit continuous light
waves of the same wavelength, same frequency
and in the same phase difference are called
coherent sources.
Conditions to obtain coherent light :
1. Two sources should be single source or by
same device.
2. Two sources should give monochromatic
light.
3. The path difference b/w light waves from 2
sources should be small.

INTERFERENCE OF LIGHT
It is the phenomenon of redistribution of light
energy in a medium on account of superposition
of light wave from 2 coherent sources. There are
2 types:
1. Constructive Interference.
2. Destructive Interference
EXPERIMENT
Youngs Double Slit Experiment
Set up the apparatus as in the Figure 1.
The appearance of bright and dark fringes on screen can be
explained on the basis of interference of light. According to
Huygens principle, the monochromatic source of light
illuminating the slit S sends out spherical wavefronts. Let the
solid arcs represent the crests ant the dotted arcs represents
the troughs. These wavefronts reach the slits A and B
simultaneously which in turn, become sources of secondary
wavelets. Thus the 2 waves on superposition produce
interference.
The dots (.) represent the positions of constructive
interference, where crests of one wave falls on crests of the
other and trough falls on trough. The resultant Amplitude and
hence intensity of light is maximum at these positions. The
lines joining the dots lead to points C, E, G on the screen.
Similarly, the crosses (x) represent the positions of destructive
interference, where crest of one wave falls on trough of the
other and vice-versa. The resultant amplitude and hence
intensity of light is minimum at these positions. The lines
joining the crosses lead to points D, F on the screen.
Thus we have Bright Fringes at C, E, and G and Dark Fringes
at D and F.
These bright and dark fringes are placed alternatively and they
are equally spaced. These are called INTEFERENCE
FRINGES.

INTERFERENCE
PATTERNS
Let the waves from 2 coherent sources of light be represented as
y1 = a sint(1)
y2 = b sin (t + )..(2)
where a and b ate the respective amplitudes of 2 waves and is
the constant phase angle by which second wave leads the first
wave.
According to superposition principle, the displacement y of the
resultant wave at time t would be given by
y=y1 + y2 = a sint + b sin(t + )
= a sint + b sint cos + b cost sin
y = sint(a+b cos) + cost.b sin..(3)
put a + b cos = A cos.(4)
b sin = A sin..(5)
Therefore y = sint.Acos + cost.Asin
= A(sint cos + cost sin)
y = A sin (wt +)..(6)

Thus the resultant wave is a harmonic wave of amplitude A.

Squaring (4) and (5) and adding
We get,
A = a2 + b2 + 2ab cos .(7)

As resultant intensity I is directly proportional to the square of

the amplitude of the resultant wave
Thus I A2 i.e. I a2 + b2 + 2ab cos.(8)

Conditions for constructive and

Destructive Interference,
 Constructive Interference
I should be maximum, for which
Cos = max = +1 so, = 0,2 ,4,..
i.e. = 2n ; where n = 0, 1, 2
if x is the path difference, then
x=/2
x = (2n )/2 i.e. x=n

Hence, condition for constructive interference at a point is

that phase difference b/w the 2 waves reaching the point
should be zero or an even integral multiple of .
Or
Path difference b/w the 2 waves reaching the point should be
0 or an integral multiple of full wavelength.
So Amax=(a+b)

Destructive Interference
I should be minimum, for which
Cos = min = -1 so, = ,3,5,..
i.e. = (2n-1) ; where n = 1,2,3
if x is the path difference, then
x=/2
x = ((2n-1) )/2
x=(2n-1)/2
Hence, condition for constructive interference at a point is
that phase difference b/w the 2 waves reaching the point
should be an odd integral multiple of .
Or
Path difference b/w the 2 waves reaching the point should be
an odd integral multiple of half the wavelength. So
Amin= (a-b)

DERIVATION
 Expression for Fringe Width in Inerference
Looking at Figure 2,
The intensity of light at the point on the screen will depend on the
path difference b/w the 2 waves arriving at that point.the point C is
at equal distance from A and B.therefore, the path difference b/w 2
waves reaching C is 0 and the point C is of maximum intensity. It is
called CENTRAL MAXIMUM.
Consider a point p at a distance x from C. The path difference b/w
2 waves arriving at P,
= BP AP.(9)
Let O be the mid point of AB, and
AB = EF = d, AE = BF = D
From the figure,
PE = PC EC= x-d/2
and PF = PC + CF = x+d/2
By Pythagoras and Binomially,
BP= D[1 + (x + d/2)2/2D2]..(10)
and AP= D[1 + (x - d/2)2/2D2](11)

Putting these values in (9), we get, path difference

BP-AP= D[1 + (x + d/2)2/2D2 - 1 - (x - d/2)2/2D2]
BP - AP= xd/D..(12)
For Bright Fringes
Path Difference = xd/D = n where n= 0,1,2
or x=nD/d ..(13)
For Dark Fringes
Path Difference = xd/D = (2n-1)/2 where n=1,2,3
or x=(2n-1)D/2d ..(13)

Comparison shows that dark interference fringes are situated in b/w

bright interference fringes and vice-versa

Separation b/w the centers of 2 consecutive bright fringes is the

width of dark fringe.
= xn xn-1 = nD/d- (n-1)D/d
= D/d.(14)
Similarly, separation b/w the centers of 2 consecutive bright fringes
is the width of dark fringe.

= xn xn-1 = [(2n-1)D/2d]-[(2(n-1)-1) D/2d]

= = D/d.(15)
So, all bright and dark fringes are of equal width.

OBSERVATIONS
S.No. Wavelength Distance of Slit Fringe
(cm) screen & source Distance Width
D (cm) d (cm) (cm)

1. 7 x 10-5 25 0.1 0.175

2. 7 x 10-5 50 0.1 0.35

GRAPH
 Intensity Vs Path Difference

Angular separation of the fringes is just (/d). It is

independent of the position on the screen.

Further, at sites of constructive interference,

Imax R2max (a+b) 2 = constant
Hence all bright interference bands have same intensity

At sites of destructive interference,

Imax R2max (a-b) 2 = constant = 0 (at a=b)
Hence all dark interference bands have same (zero)
intensity.
Figure 3 represents the intensity of double slit
interference pattern as a function of path difference
b/w the waves of the screen.

CONDITIONS
(For Sustained Inerference)
1. The 2 sources of light must be coherent i.e. they
continuous light waves of same wavelength or
frequency, which have either same phase of constant
path difference.
2. The 2 sources should be strong with least
background.
3. The amplitudes of waves from 2 sources should
preferably be equal.
4. The 2 sources should preferably be monochromatic.
5. The coherent sources must be very close to each
other.
6. The 2 sources should be point and narrow sources.

Figure 1
Interference Pattern
Figure 2
Schematic Diagram

Figure 3
Intensity Vs Path Difference Graph
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
SITES
http://www.google.com
http://vsg.quasihome.com/interfer.htm
BOOKS
Pradeeps Physics Practical
Physics N.C.E.R.T textbook.
Comprehensive Chemistry Practical.
Resnick and Halliday.