Optics (Interference)

1. How can you represent a disturbance?

» Any disturbance as a function of space and time
represented as Ψ = f(x,t)
2. What do you mean by wave front?
» Wave front is a surface defined by the locus of points
having same phase of disturbances at any given instant of time.
3. How the intensity of a spherical wave varies with radial distances?
» Since amplitude of a spherical wave falls as r-1, intensity of the wave falls as r-2 whereas
intensity of a cylindrical wave falls as r-1.

4. Define coherent sources.

» Two sources of light are said to be coherent if they vibrate in same phase or there exists a
constant phase relationship.
5. State Huygen’s principle?
» Every point on a propagating wave front serves as the
source of spherical secondary wavelets, such that the wave
front at some later time is the envelope of these wavelets. If
the propagating wave has a frequency f, and is transmitted
through the medium at a speed v, then the secondary wavelets
will have the same frequency and speed.
6. What do you mean by spatial and temporal coherence?
» Coherence is a measure of the correlation between the
phases measured at different (temporal and spatial) points on a wave. Temporal Coherence is
a measure of the correlation of a light wave’s phase at different points along the direction of
propagation (it tells us how monochromatic a source is). Spatial Coherence is a measure of
the correlation of a light wave’s phase at different point transverse to the direction of
propagation (it tells us how uniform the phase of a wave front is).
7. Describe principle of superposition?
» When two or more waves or disturbances meet at a point, resultant wave or disturbances at
that point is the vector sum of the individual waves or disturbances.
8. What is interference of light?
» When monochromatic waves of light from two sources in the same direction superimpose
at a point either in same phase or opposite phase, then the intensity of light at that point will
be maximum or minimum respectively. This phenomenon is known as interference of light.
Interference is classified into constructive or destructive nature.
 Constructive Interference: Suppose if the crest of one wave falls on the crest of another
wave, then the amplitude becomes maximum. This is constructive interference. Here both the
waves have the same displacement and the waves are in phase.
Destructive interference: Suppose if the crest of one wave falls on the trough of another
wave, then the amplitude here becomes minimum. This is destructive interference. Here the
waves do not have the same displacement and the waves are out of phase.

9. Does the principle of conservation of energy violated by interference?

» Only redistribution of energy is possible by the interference of light. The energy from the
dark regions actually goes to the bright regions. Average value of energy over a no. of fringes
must be the same as if the absence of interference effects. So the principle of conservation of
energy is not violated in the phenomenon of interference.
10. Why light waves from two different candles do not interfere?
» When light waves meet at a point, point will be bright or dark depends on the same phases
or opposite phases. Phase difference depends on initial phase difference between the sources
and optical path difference. Two different candles can’t be coherent. So the initial phase
difference changes very rapidly with time. As a result there is rapid alteration of brightness
and darkness at every point which causes general illumination.
11. What are the conditions for observing interference?
 Two light source which interferes must be coherent in nature.
 Interfering waves must have same frequency and equal (or very nearly equal)
amplitudes.
 The light source must be monochromatic or nearly monochromatic.
 Two interfering beams must propagate in same direction.
 For polarized light the waves must be in same state of polarization.
12. Why is it necessary to use narrow source for Fresnel’s biprism and extended source for
Newton’s ring experiments?
» A broad source of light is equivalent to a large no. of narrow sources. Now if slit is broad
then the two virtual sources will also be broad. Now each pair of conjugate points on the virtual
sources will give rise to an interference pattern .These interference pattern are slightly displaced
from one another. An overlapping of such patterns results in general illumination. In case of a
wide slit, light could have passed in many places - and from there to the screen there are many
different path lengths possible. Due to this, we don’t get a clear interference pattern. Thus narrow
slit is required for getting clear interference pattern. Narrow slit makes the source "spatially
coherent".
An extended source can be regarded as a collection of large number of point sources.
Each point source give a beam of parallel rays, all these parallel rays from one point give rise to
one point of the Newton's ring. So for the whole ring to be formed we need a number of parallel
rays from different points of the source. That is why we need an extended source to form the
Newton's rings.

13. What are the differences between Fresnel’s biprism and Lloyd’s mirror images?

 In biprism experiment fringes are formed on both sides of the central fringe, whereas
in Lloyd’s mirror less than half of the fringes are obtained on one side of the central
line.

 Central fringe in case of biprism is bright whereas in Lloyd’s mirror it is dark.

 In Fresnel biprism the separation between every pair of corresponding points is same
i.e. fringe width is same. In Lloyd’s mirror lateral inversion in mirror is different for
different pair of coherent sources.

14. What are the conditions for constructive and destructive interferences?

 Phase difference = × path difference. For 2m phase difference, path difference

must be even multiple of , i.e. 2m where m = 0, 1, 2, 3…., Intensity I is maximum
(a1+a2)2. This is the condition for constructive interference.

 For (2m+1) phase difference, path difference must be odd multiple of , i.e.
(2m+1) where m = 0, 1, 2, 3…., Intensity I is minimum (a1-a2)2. This is the
condition for destructive interference.

15. State two methods of producing coherent sources of light?

» Two methods of producing coherent sources of light are by

(i)Division of wave front –Fresnel’s biprism
(ii) Division of amplitude-Newton’s ring

16. What change will you observe in the Young’s double slit experiment pattern if the
whole arrangement is dipped in water?
» If the whole arrangement is dipped in water in Young’s double slit experiment, and then
the fringe width decreases and the fringes come closer due to the change of the refractive index
of the medium.
17. What will happen to Newton’s rings if a drop of water is introduced between the glass
plate and lens?
» Since diameter of the ring is inversely proportional to the square root of refractive index of
the medium between the planoconvex lens and plane glass plate, therefore as refractive index
increases, diameter of the rings decrease, that is the rings contract.

18. What will happen to Newton’s rings if the lens is lifted up slowly from the flat surface?
» As the distance between the lens and the plate is increased or the lens is lifted up slowly
from the flat surface, the order of the ring at a given point increases. The rings, therefore,
come closer and closer until they can no longer be separately observed.

19. What will happen to Newton’s rings if the plane glass plate is replaced by plane mirror?
» If the plane glass plate is replaced by plane mirror in Newton’s rings experiment, the ring
on the reflected system would disappear and a uniform illumination is observed. It is because
there would be no transmission of rays, but transmitted rays will also be reflected at the
silvered surface and the two complementary systems of rings superimpose on each other and
give a uniform illumination.

20. What differences are observed if Newton’s ring is formed with transmitted light?
» Newton’s ring also be observed with transmitted light. The dark rings with transmitted light
are not exactly dark and hence the transmitted pattern is not so distinct comparable to reflect-
ed light.