Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
7.1 INTERFERENCE
1. What is meant by interference?
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2. What is meant by superposition principle?
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3. What is meant by sustained interference?
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4. What requirements must sources meet if they are to give sustained interference?
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6. Why do we not observe sustained interference with everyday light sources?
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2014 Geometric and Physical Optics
Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
7.2 YOUNG’S DOUBLE-SLIT EXPERIMENT
1. What was the major significance of this experiment for our understanding of the
nature of light? (HINT: review chapter 1)
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2. Describe the apparatus he used.
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3. What pattern was expected on the target screen if light behaved as a stream of
particles?
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4. How did Young ensure that the light passing through the two parallel
slits met the requirements for sustained interference?
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5. Describe the interference pattern he found.
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6. How did Young account for the formation of the central light band?
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2014 Geometric and Physical Optics
Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
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7. How did Young account for the formation of the first dark fringe above the
central fringe?
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8. How did Young account for the formation of the second light fringe above the
central fringe?
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9. Describe how the wavelength of the incident light affects the interference
pattern obtained.
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10.
Two narrow slits separated by a distance of 0.12 mm are illuminated with light of
wavelength 589 nm from a sodium lamp.
(a) Calculate the angle between the central maximum and the first bright fringe
above it.
(b) The light is intercepted by a photographic film placed 2.00 m beyond the slits.
The fringes in (a) are separated by ________ mm on the film.
2014 Geometric and Physical Optics
Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
7.3 INTERFERENCE IN THIN FILMS
1. Which two factors need to be considered before one can decide whether two
waves will interfere constructively or destructively?
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2. Two rays are out of phase due to reflection from a surface. Will they interfere
constructively or destructively?
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7.3.1 Change of Phase Due To Reflection
1. Under what conditions will a reflected ray have a phase change of 180° with
respect to the incident ray?
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2. Using the following diagram, fill the table below.
(i) For each set of refractive indices, indicate whether the rays are in phase (i) or out
of phase (o).
(ii) In each case, indicate whether rays 2 and 3 will undergo constructive
interference (C) or destructive interference (D).
2014 Geometric and Physical Optics
Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
PHASE OF RAYS
n1 n2 n3 Interference
1-2 1-3 2-3
1 1.33 1
1 1.29 1.33
1.70 1.66 1.70
1.33 1.40 1
1.37 1.29 1
1 1.66 1.70
1.25 1.33 1
1.37 1.30 1.33
7.3.2 Examples
A. Soap Bubble
1. Assume that light strikes the wall of the soap bubble perpendicularly and derive a
relationship between the wavelength of light in air (that appears bright) and
the thickness of the wall of the soap bubble. (Assume that n for the soap film is
1.34.)
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2014 Geometric and Physical Optics
Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
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2. How will the interference pattern change if the source is a point source?
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3. How will the interference pattern change if the extended source is
monochromatic?
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4. Why do the wavy lines of colour constantly change?
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2014 Geometric and Physical Optics
Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
5. Why does the interference pattern change if you move your head relative to the
soap bubble?
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B.1 Oil over water if nOIL> nWATER
1. Assume that light strikes the air-oil interface perpendicularly and derive a
relationship between the wavelength of light in the oil layer (that appears bright)
and the thickness of the oil layer. (Assume that n for the oil is 1.40.)
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2014 Geometric and Physical Optics
Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
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B.2 Oil over water if nOIL< nWATER
1. Assume that light strikes the air-oil interface perpendicularly and derive a
relationship between the wavelength of light in air (that appears bright) and
the thickness of the oil layer.(Assume that n for the oil is 1.30.)
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2014 Geometric and Physical Optics
Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
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7.4 ANTI-REFLECTION COATINGS
1. Explain how the results of Young’s interference experiment are of
use for the design of anti-reflection coatings (ARC’s).
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7.4.1 Arc’s on lenses
1. Derive a relationship between the wavelength of light in air and the thickness of a
magnesium fluoride ARC on a CR39 lens.
2. A cerium oxide ARC on a crown glass lens is designed to be effective for light of
wavelength 254 nm (in the ARC).
(a) Derive a relationship between the given wavelength and the thickness of the
ARC.
(b) Calculate the thickness of the ARC.
(c) Does this light fall in the visible region?
3. (a) Why does an ARC (even of the correct thickness) not decrease the reflectance
to zero%?
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2014 Geometric and Physical Optics
Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
(b) What is the requirement that must be met so that there can be zero % of light
reflected?
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3. Why is an ARC not effective for all wavelengths of visible light?
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2014 Geometric and Physical Optics
Tutorial questions – Chapter 7
TUTORIAL
1. If light with a wavelength of 540 nm shines on a double slit with the slits cut
0.0100 mm apart, calculate at what angle you should look away from the central
fringe to see the second order bright fringe.
2. (a) Why is an anti-reflection coating (ARC) used on lenses?
(b) A coating of the required thickness is placed on a lens with refractive index
equal to 1.7. What should the refractive index of the coating be if the
reflectance is to be reduced to zero for the wavelength of choice?
3. (a) What is the origin of the purplish “bloom” on many coated lenses?
(b) Why is the above “bloom” absent on some multilayer ARC’s?
4. A coating of cryolite is to be placed on a Crown Glass lens so that the reflectance
is sharply reduced for light that has a wavelength 4.60 x 10-7m in the ARC. The
thickness of the coating is ______ nm.
5. A coating of cerium oxide is to be placed on a Crown Glass lens so that the
reflectance is sharply reduced for light of wavelength 590 nm (in air). What
thickness (in µm) should the coating have?
2014 Geometric and Physical Optics