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Newtons Rings

Newton's Rings are concentric bright and dark circular bands formed by the interference of light in a thin air wedge between a plano-convex lens and a flat glass surface. The central spot is dark due to phase reversal, and the rings can be calculated using the radius of curvature and the wavelength of light. Formulas for the radius of bright and dark rings are provided, demonstrating the relationship between the thickness of the air film and the interference pattern.

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8 views2 pages

Newtons Rings

Newton's Rings are concentric bright and dark circular bands formed by the interference of light in a thin air wedge between a plano-convex lens and a flat glass surface. The central spot is dark due to phase reversal, and the rings can be calculated using the radius of curvature and the wavelength of light. Formulas for the radius of bright and dark rings are provided, demonstrating the relationship between the thickness of the air film and the interference pattern.

Uploaded by

gokv2000
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

XI – Physics | Newton's Rings

NEWTON'S RINGS:
A series of concentric bright and dark circular bands observed due to interference of light through
a thin air wedge between two pieces of glass — one is convex and rests on its convex side on
another flat glass surface.

Explanation:
When a plano-convex lens, of long focal length, is placed on a plane glass plate, a thin film of air
is enclosed between the lower surface of the lens and the upper surface of the glass plate. The
thickness of the air film is very small at the point of contact and gradually increases from the
centre outwards.

When a parallel beam of monochromatic light is incident perpendicular to the flat surface of the
lens, light rays reflect from the lower curved surface of the plano-convex lens and the upper
surface of the glass plate with a path difference. These light rays superimpose each other and
produce interference in the form of alternate dark and bright circular fringes (Newton's rings).
The interference fringes are circular because the thin film of air is spherical. The central spot of
rings is dark due to the phase reversal of light that reflects from the glass plate. With
monochromatic light, bright and dark circular fringes are produced in the air film. When viewed
with white light, the fringes are coloured.

Calculating the Radius of Newton's Rings:


Let R be the radius of curvature of the plano-convex lens and r be the radius of Newton's ring
where the thickness of air film is t. The path difference corresponding to the thickness of the film
will be 2t. This can be calculated by considering triangle ABC in the vertical section of the
plano-convex lens.

In ■ABC:

R2 = (R – t)2 + r2
R2 = R2 – 2Rt + t2 + r2
Since 't' is very small, t2 can be neglected, we get:

2Rt = r2
2t = r2 / R ——→ (i)
XI – Physics | Newton's Rings

Constructive Interference in a Thin Film of Air:


According to constructive interference in a thin film of air, we can write:

2t = (m + ½) λ

For the first bright ring, m = 0:

2t = (0 + ½) λ = ½ λ

For the second bright ring, m = 1:

2t = (1 + ½) λ = 3/2 λ

For the Nth bright ring, m = N – 1:

2t = (N – 1 + ½) λ
2t = (N – ½) λ ——→ (ii)

Putting the value of 2t from equation (i) in equation (ii):

r2 / R = (N – ½) λ
r2 = R (N – ½) λ
r = √[ R (N – ½) λ ] ——→ (iv)

Radius of the Dark Ring:


r = √(mRλ) ——→ (v)

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