Physics

13 Problem Set 5: Interference, Diffraction and Relativity 3rd Quarter AY 2015 - 2016

Name: Date: Score:

Lecturer: Dr. Carlos Baldo III Section:

Encircle the letter of the correct answer. Solve each problem clearly and completely for full credit.

1. Path Difference. Two identical point light sources each produce coherent EM radiation of the same wavelength λ
= 300 nm. Once source is at (1, 1) while the other is at (-1, -1). Along which straight line is the interference always
constructive?
A. y = 0
B. x = 0
C. y = -x
D. y = x

2. Phase Disruption. Which of the following phase differences between two coherent light waves will result in
destructive interference?
A. –π
B. –π/2
C. –π/4
D. –π/8
E. –π/16

3. Fringe of Darkness. You performed a classical two – slit experiment, using a laser with wavelength λ = 500.0 nm,
and slit separation d = 5.0 mm. If you placed the screen 10.0 m away from the slits, which among the following
distances from the optical axis is/are the location(s) of a dark fringe?
A. 1.5 mm
B. 3.0 mm
C. 6.0 mm
D. A and B
E. B and C

4. Fringe Brilliance. You perform a classical two-slit interference experiment using slit separation d = 1.0 mm and
slit-screen separation R = 5.0 m. If the width of a bright fringe is 2.0 mm, what is the wavelength of the light you
used?
A. 100 nm
B. 200 nm
C. 400 nm
D. 600 nm
E. 800 nm

5. Two Slit. In a standard two slit interference experiment, what will happen to the distance between bright bands
if the screen distance is doubled, the slit spacing is decreased by half, the wavelength of the laser is change to half,
and the entire set-up is then immersed in oil with n = 2?
A. Doubled
B. Quadrupled
C. Remains the same
D. Halved
E. Quartered

6. Phase Difference. Given a two slit interference experiment, a laser that has λ = 600 nm was used. In the first-order
(first from the center) dark band, what must be the path difference of the two waves?
A. 300 nm
B. 450 nm
C. 600 nm
D. 750 nm
E. 900 nm
Physics 13 Problem Set 5: Interference, Diffraction and Relativity 3rd Quarter AY 2015 - 2016

7. About phase. Two waves of similar wavelength (λ = 1000nm) interfere constructively in space with a phase
difference of 450. What is their path difference?
A. 1000 nm
B. 750 nm
C. 500 nm
D. 250 nm
E. 125 nm

8. Tsunami waves. Tsunami waves from a common source interfere destructively. If their path difference is 600nm,
what is the possible wavelength of the waves?
A. 240 nm only
B. 400 nm only
C. 600 nm only
D. 240 nm or 400 nm
E. 400 nm or 600 nm

9. Laser I. A laser light of wavelength 400 nm passes through a slit producing a diffraction pattern on a distant screen.
If the first diffraction minima are at ±30º, what is the width of the slit?
A. 200 nm
B. 300 nm
C. 500 nm
D. 600 nm
E. 800 nm

10. Laser II. A monochromatic light of wavelength 400 nm passes through a slit of width 100 mm. The diffraction
pattern is observed on a screen 1 m away from the slit. What is width of the central bright maximum?
A. 0.4 x 10-3 m
B. 0.8 x 10-3 m
C. 4 x 10-3 m
D. 8 x 10-3 m
E. 1 x 10-2 m

For the next two numbers, consider the diffraction
patterns from three single-slit experiment set-ups.

11. Interference Fringes. If all the properties of the set-
ups are identical except for the slit width a. Compare
the slit – to – screen distances, R.
A. RS < RQ < RR
B. RS < RR < RQ
C. RQ < RR < RS
D. RQ < RS < RR
E. All setups have the same slit-to-screen distances

12. Wave Nature. Rank these diffraction patterns according the number of side order fringes produced if the laser
light were to behave as a particle.
A. S < R < Q
B. Q < R < S
C. Q = R = S = 0
D. Q = R = S > 0
E. Q = R = S < 0




Physics 13 Problem Set 5: Interference, Diffraction and Relativity 3rd Quarter AY 2015 - 2016

For the next two numbers, consider light incident to two slits of similar width a = 1 mm and separated by d = 3 mm. The
wavelength of light is 600 nm and the slits are 5m away from the screen.

13. ID. How many bright interference fringes will be formed inside the central diffraction maximum?
A. 3
B. 4
C. 5
D. 6
E. 7

14. From the distance. If the setup is immersed in a liquid with refractive index of 2, the distance of the m = 1
diffraction minimum from the center ________ while the distance of the m = 1 interference maximum from the
center _________.
A. Increases; decreases.
B. Decreases; increases.
C. Decreases; decreases
D. Increases; increases
E. Remains the same; remains the same

15. Slit width. As the width of the slit producing a single slit diffraction pattern is slowly and steadily reduced, while
always remaining larger than the wavelength of the light, the diffraction pattern _______ .
A. does not change because the wavelength of the light does not change
B. slowly and steadily gets brighter
C. slowly and steadily gets dimmer
D. slowly and steadily gets narrower
E. slowly and steadily gets wider

16. Intensity. The maximum intensity produced in a two-slit interference set up is _________ the intensity produced by
a single slit.
A. Equal
B. 2 times
C. 3 times
D. 4 times
E. 6 times

17. The Fraction. What will happen to the width of the central maximum of a diffraction pattern if the slit width and
slit-to-screen distance are both doubled?
A. Increases by a factor of 4
B. Increases by a factor of 2
C. Remains the same
D. Decreases by a factor of 2
E. Decreases by a factor of 4

18. Rainbow. Red, green and blue light with frequencies 484 × 1012 Hz, 606 × 1012 Hz and 789 × 1012 Hz, respectively,
in vacuum are, in turn, incident on a slit immersed in water (n = 4/3). Compare the widths of each resulting central
maximum.
A. wred < wgreen < wblue
B. wred < wblue < wgreen
C. wgreen < wred < wblue
D. wblue < wgreen < wred
E. all setups have the same widths of central diffraction maximum





Physics 13 Problem Set 5: Interference, Diffraction and Relativity 3rd Quarter AY 2015 - 2016

For the next two numbers, consider the interference pattern shown below.

19. Grating. How many slit/s formed the interference pattern?
A. 1 slit
B. 2 slits
C. 3 slits
D. 4 slits
E. 5 slits

20. To the max. What is the maximum intensity of the pattern in terms of
the incident light intensity I0?
A. 2I0
B. 4I0
C. 6I0
D. 9I0
E. 25I0

21. Proper time. Astronauts in a spaceship traveling at v = 0.6c relative to the earth sign off from space control, saying
that they are going to nap for 1 hour and then call back. How long does their nap last as measured on earth?
A. 1.00 hour
B. 1.25 hour
C. 2.50 hour
D. 3.75 hour
E. 5.00 hour

22. Proper length. A stick has a proper length of 1 m moves in a direction along its length with speed v relative to you.
The length of the stick as measured by you is 0.914 m. What is the speed v? Note: c is the speed of light in vacuum.
A. 0.206 c
B. 0.306 c
C. 0.406 c
D. 0.506 c
E. 0.606 c

For the next two numbers, consider the lifetime of a moving muon. Its mean lifetime at rest is 2.20 x 10-6 s.

23. Muon of the lifetime. What will be the mean lifetime of a muon as measured in the laboratory if it is traveling at v =
0.60c = 1.80 x 108 m/s with respect to the laboratory?
A. 0.7 x 10-6 s
B. 1.0 x 10-6 s
C. 1.4 x 10-6 s
D. 2.0 x 10-6 s
E. 2.8 x 10-6 s

24. Far Muon. How far does a muon travel in the laboratory, on the average, before decaying?
A. 200 m
B. 250 m
C. 400 m
D. 500 m
E. 1000 m







Physics 13 Problem Set 5: Interference, Diffraction and Relativity 3rd Quarter AY 2015 - 2016

25. A fantasy supertrain. A very fast train with a proper length of 500 m is passing through a 200-m tunnel. The train’s
speed is so great that the train fits completely within the tunnel as seen by an observer at rest on the Earth (on the
mountain above the tunnel); that is, the engine is just about to emerge from one end of the tunnel as the last car
disappears into the other end. What is the train’s speed?
A. 0.92 c
B. 1.42 c
C. 1.92 c
D. 2.42 c
E. 2.92 c

For the next two numbers, consider Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to Earth, that is 4.3 light years away.

26. Space travel. At what constant velocity must a spacecraft travel from Earth if it is to reach the star in 4.0 years, as
measured by travelers on the spacecraft? Note: c is the speed of the light in vacuum.
A. 0.52 c
B. 0.64 c
C. 0.73 c
D. 0.85 c
E. 0.96 c

27. Earthlings. How long does the trip take according to Earth observers?
A. 4.8 year
B. 5.9 year
C. 6.0 year
D. 7.1 year
E. 8.2 year

28. Its an E!. An unknown particle is measured to have an unknown charge and a speed of 2.24 x 108 m/s. Its
momentum is determined to be 3.07 x 10-22 kg.m/s. Identify the particle by finding its rest mass.
A. Proton, 1.67 x 10-27 kg
B. Electron, 9.11 x 10-31 kg
C. Neutron, 1.67 x 10-27 kg
D. Photon, m = 0
E. Either A or C

29. Enterprise. An observer on Earth sees an alien vessel approach at a speed of 0.60c. The Enterprise comes to the
rescue, overtaking the aliens while moving directly toward Earth at a speed of 0.90c relative to Earth. What is the
relative speed of one vessel as seen by the other?
A. 0.55 c
B. 0.65 c
C. 0.75 c
D. 1.10 c
E. 1.30 c


30. Rocket. Rocket A passes Earth at a speed of 0.75 c. at the same time, rocket B passes Earth moving 0.95 c relative to
Earth in the same direction. How fast is B moving relative to A when it passes A?
A. 0.40 c
B. 0.50.c
C. 0.60 c
D. 0.70 c
E. 1.20 c