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WAVE OPTICS

GUPTA CLASSES
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9953168795, 9268789880

Nishant Gupta, D-122, Prashant vihar, Rohini, Delhi-85

Contact: 9953168795, 9268789880

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WAVE OPTICS
Wavefront:
1.

The locus of all particles vibrating in the same phase is called a wavefront

2.

For a point source of light, the wavefront is spherical in shape with source lying at its centre. When the source of
light is linear, then the wavefront takes the cylindrical shape. For a parallel beam of light wave front is plane.

Huygens Principle : It provides a geometrical method of finding the successive positions of the wavefront as follows:
(a) Every point on the wavefront acts as a fresh source of light giving out secondary wavelets. These secondary
wavelets travel out in all directions with the same speed as that of light.
(b) The envelope of these wavelets in forward direction gives the position of the new wavefront at any subsequent
time.
Interference of light:
1.

When two light waves of same frequency with zero initial phase difference or constant phase difference
superimpose over each other, then the resultant amplitude (or intensity) in the region of superimposition is different
from the amplitude (or intensity) of individual waves. This modification in intensity in the region of superposition is
called interference.

2.

When resultant intensity is greater than the sum of two individual wave intensities [I > (I1 + I2)], then the
interference is said to be constructive.

3.

When the resultant intensity is less than the sum of two individual wave intensities [I < (I1 + I2)] then the
interference is said to be destructive.

4.

To obtain the stationary interference pattern, the following conditions must be fulfilled:
(a) The two sources should be coherent, i.e., they should vibrate in the same phase or there should be a constant
phase difference between them.
(b) The two sources must emit continuously waves of same wavelength and frequency.
(c) The separation between two coherent sources should be small.
(d) The distance of the screen from the two sources should be large.
(e) For good contrast between maxima and minima, the amplitudes of the two interfering waves should be as nearly
equal as possible and the background should be dark.
(f) For a large number of fringes in the field of view, the sources should be narrow and monochromatic.

Superposition of light waves of equal frequency and of constant phase difference:

1.

When two light waves having same frequency, different amplitudes a1 and a2 with a constant phase difference
superimpose each other, then the amplitude of the resultant wave can be expressed as: a a12 a 22 2a1a 2 cos

2.

Amplitude is max.

(a) If = 0, 2, 4,.2n,

and

amax. = a1 + a2.

Amplitude is min.

(b) If = , 3, 5,.(2n 1),

and

amin. = a1 - a2.

The intensity of the resultant wave is:

I I1 I 2 2 I1I 2 cos

Intensity is max.

(a) When = 2n,

and

Intensity is min.

(b) When = (2n - 1) ,

and

I max . ( I1 I 2 ) 2
I min . ( I1 I 2 ) 2

Nishant Gupta, D-122, Prashant vihar, Rohini, Delhi-85

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3.

If amplitudes of the two waves are equal, a1 = a2 = a0 then resultant amplitude

and the resultant intensity

I = 4I0 cos2 (/2)

Also, in this case,

amax. = 2a0,

And

amin. = 0,

Imax. = 4I0
Imin. = 0
2
x

4.

If phase difference is and path difference is x , then

5.

Condition of maxima in terms of path difference: x n

6.

Condition of minima:

x (2n 1)

a 2a 02 cos 2a 0 cos( / 2)

(n = 0,1,2,)

(n = 1,2,)

Young's interference (Double slit) experiment:

1.

Location of fringes on the screen w.r.t. centre:

(a) The location of nth bright fringe from center is:

xn

nD
d

(b) The location of nth dark fringe from center is: x n (2n 1)
2.

D
2d

(n = 0,1, 2,...)
(n = 1,2,...)

Fringe width: In Young's double slit experiment, fringes of equal widths are formed. Fringe width of any bright or
dark fringe is given by:

D
d

D d

3.

Angular width of the fringe: It is given by

4.

Although the intensity at maximum is 4I0 (i.e., double of that expected on the basis of average value 2I0) and the
intensity at minimum is zero, but (Imax. + Imin.)/2 = Iaverage = 2I0. This shows that energy is simply redistributed in
interference. Some energy is transferred from the destructive interference region to the constructive interference
region.

5.

If the entire arrangement of Young's double slit experiment is immersed in water, then fringe width decreases.
In water,

water

water D

and water a air

d
w

6.

If a monochromatic light source is replaced by a white light source in Young's interference experiment, then the
central fringe is white and some coloured fringes are formed around the central white fringe.

7.

If a thin glass plate or mica sheet is placed in front of one of the slits, then the central fringe shifts towards the slit in
front of which the glass plate is placed. If t is the thickness of glass or mica sheet and is the refractive index of the
material of sheet, then extra path difference introduced by the sheet is ( - 1)t and the whole pattern is shifted from
center is y

( 1) tD
d

Diffraction of light:
1.

When light waves fall on a small aperture or a small sized obstacle whose linear dimension d is comparable to the
wavelength , of the wave, then there is a departure from straight line propagation and wave energy flares out into
the region of geometrical shadow of the obstacle or aperture. The spreading of wave energy beyond the limits
prescribed by the straight line propagation of the rays is called diffraction. Diffraction effects become more
prominent when (/d) increases.

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2.

As sound > light , diffraction is more easily observed in sound as compared to light.

3.

Interference takes place when there is superposition of two separate wavefronts originating from two separate
coherent sources. Diffraction takes place due to superposition of secondary wavelets starting from different points of
the same wavefront.

4.

Condition of minima in terms of path difference: x dSin n

5.

Condition of maxima:

6.

Width of maxima or minima

7.

Angular width of maxima or minima

x dSin (2n 1)

D
, Width of central maxima
d

(n = 1,2,)
(n = 1,2,)

2D
d

, Angular width of central maxima
D d

2
d

Polrisation
1.

A light wave in which vibrations of electric component are present in all directions, perpendicular to the propagation of wave is
called as unpolarised light

2.

The phenomenon of restricting the oscillations of light wave (electric vector) to only one plane perpendicular to direction of
wave motion is called polarization of light and light so obtained is called plane polarized light.

3.

The crystal, which polarises the light, is called polariser and the one which analysis the polarized light is called analyser. The
same type of crystal may act as polariser as well as analyser

4.

The plane within which the vibrations of the polarized beam are confined is called the plane of vibration and a plane normal to
this is called plane of polarization

5.

Polarisation confirms that light is a transverse wave because only transverse waves can be polarized.

Law of Malus
According to this law, when a beam of completely polarized light is incident on an analyzer, the resulatant intensity of light (I)
transmitted from analyzer varies directly as cosine of angle () between plane of transmission of panalyser and polariser.
i.e.
I cos
Polarisation by Reflection
1.

When unpolarised light is reflected from a surface, the reflected light may be unpolarised, partially polarized or completely
polarized depending on the angle of incidence.

2.

The angle at which light is compeletly polarized is called polarizing angle or Brewster angle (Ip).

3.

Brewster Law : According to this law, when unpolarised light is incident on an interface separating air from medium of
refractive index then the reflected light is fully polarized provided = tan ip.

4.

The reflected and refracted rays shall be perpendicular to each other if = tan ip and vice-versa. i.e. when a beam of light falls
at the polarizing angle, the reflected and refracted beams are at right angle to each other.

Polarisation by Scattering
When a beam of white light is passed through a medium containing particles whose size is of the order of wavelength of light, then
the beam gets scattered. When this scattered light is seen from a direction perpendicular to direction of incidence. It is found to be
polarized. This phenomenon is called scattering of light.
Polaroids
A polaroid is a material which polarizes light. Tourmaline is a natural polarizing material. A small needle shaped crystal of quinine
idosulphate has the property of polarizing the light. A number of these crystals with their axes parallel to one another are packed in
between two sheets of plastic. Such a sheet serves as polariser.

Nishant Gupta, D-122, Prashant vihar, Rohini, Delhi-85

Contact: 9953168795, 9268789880

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Wave Optics Assignment
1.

Identical waves (each of intensity Io), from two

incoherent sources of light superpose at a point in
space; then the average intensity of the resultant
wave will be:
(a) zero
(b) I0
(c) 2I0
(d) 2I0
2. Identical waves (each of intensity Io) from two
coherent sources of light superpose at a point in
space; then the resultant intensity of wave will be:
(a) zero
(b) 4I0
(c) 2I0
(d) any value between 0 and 4I0
3. Ratio of intensities of two waves is given by 4 : 1.
The ratio of amplitudes of the waves is:
(a) 2 : 1
(b) 1 : 2
(c) 4 : 1
(d) 1 : 4
4. Two interfering waves have amplitudes in the ratio 5
: 1. The ratio of the maximum to the minimum
intensity is:
(a) 25 : 1
(b) 4 : 9
(c) 6 : 4
(d) 9 : 4
5. Two coherent monochromatic light beams of
intensities I and 4I are superposed; the maximum
and minimum possible intensities in the resulting
beam are:
(a) 5I and I
(b) 5I and 3I
(c) 9I and I
(d) 9I and 3I
6. If two waves, each of intensity I0, having the same
frequency but differing by a constant phase angle of
60, superpose at a certain point in space, then the
intensity of resultant wave is:
(a) 2 I0
(b) 3I0
(c) 3 I0
(d) 4 I0
7. Two monochromatic waves, each of amplitude a,
have random phase difference between them. When
these superpose, then the amplitude of resultant
wave is given by:
(a) 2a
(b) 2a
(c) 4a
(d) zero
8. In an interference pattern produced by two identical
slits the intensity at the site of the central maximum
is I. The intensity at the same spot when either of the
two slits is closed is I0. We must have:
(a) I = I0
(b) I = 2I0
(c) I = 4I0
(d) I and I0 are not related
9. For most distinct interference patterns to be
observed the necessary condition is that the ratio of
intensities of light waves from the two coherent
sources should be:
(a) 1: 1
(b) 1 : 2
(c) 1: 3
(d) 1 : 4
10. In a certain double slit experimental arrangement,
interference fringes of width 1.0 mm each are
observed when light of wavelength 5000 is used.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

Keeping the setup unaltered if the source is replaced

by another of wavelength 6000 , the fringe width
will be:
(a) 0.5 mm (b) 1.0 mm
(c) 1.2 mm (d) 1.5 mm
In a Young's double slit experiment, the fringe width
is found to be 0.4 mm. If the whole apparatus is
immersed in water of refractive index (4/3), without
disturbing the geometrical arrangement, the new
fringe width will be:
(a) 0.30 mm
(b) 0.40 mm
(c) 0.53 mm
(d) 450 microns
In Young's double slit experiment the angular width of
a fringe formed on distant screen is 1. The
wavelength of light used is 6000 . The spacing
between the slits is approximately:
(a) 1 mm
(b) 0.05 mm
(c) 0.03 mm
(d) 0.01 mm
The path difference equivalent to a phase difference of
270 (given wavelength of wave = ) is:
(a) zero
(b) /2
(c) 3/4
(d)
Four independent waves are represented by the
equations:
y1 = a1 sin t, y2 = a2 sin t,
y3 = y3 cos t, y4 = a4 sin (t + /3)
Then the waves for which the phenomenon of
interference will be observed are:
(a) 1 and 3
(b) 1 and 4
(c) all 1, 2. 3 and 4 (d) none of these
In the phenomenon of interference, the energy:
(a) conservation does not hold good as energy is
redistributed from destructive interference regions
to constructive interference regions
(b) conservation is valid, only redistribution of
energy takes place
(c) conservation is not valid but amplitude addition
holds good
(d) conservation is not valid but intensity addition
holds good
In Young's double slit experiment, if width (aperture)
of the slit S is increased keeping other parameters
constant, then the interference fringes will:
(a) remain unchanged
(b) form closer
(c) form further away
(d) gradually disappear
Two sources (monochromatic, coherent) S1 and S2 are
at a distance /2 apart. Then a point lying on the line
bisecting the line joining two sources will have:
(a) maximum intensity
(b) minimum intensity
(c) average intensity

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(d) none of the above
18. In double slit experiment, the phase difference
between the two waves reaching at the location of
the third dark fringe is:
(a)
(b) 6
(c) 5
(d) 7
19. In Young's double slit experiment carried out with
light of wavelength = 5000 , the distance
between the slits is 0.2 mm and the screen is at 200
cm from the plane of slits. The central maximum is
at x = 0. The third maximum will be at x equal to:
(a) 1.67cm (b) 1.5cm
(c) 0.5 cm (d) 5.0 cm
20. In Young's experiment, two coherent sources are
placed 0.90 mm apart and the fringes are observed
one metre away. If it produces the second order dark
fringe at a distance of 1 mm from the central fringe
the wavelength of monochromatic light used would
be:
(a) 60 x 10-4 cm
(b) 10 x 10-4 cm
-5
(c) 10 x 10 cm
(d) 6 x 10-5 cm
21. The central fringe of the interference pattern
produced by light of wavelength 6000 is found to
shift to the position of 4th bright fringe after a glass
plate of refractive index 1.5 is introduced. The
thickness of the glass plate would be:
(a) 4.8 m
(b) 8.23m
(c) 14.98 m
(d) 3.78 m
22. In Young's experiment when sodium light of
wavelength 5893 is used, then 62 fringes are seen
in the field of view. Instead, if violet light of
wavelength 4358 is used then the number of
fringes that will be seen in the field of view will be:
(a) 54
(b) 64
(c) 74
(d) 84
23. In Young's experiment monochromatic light through
a single slit S is used to illuminate the two slits S1
and S2. Interference fringes are obtained on the
screen. The fringe width is found to be . Now a thin
sheet of mica (thickness t and refractive index ,) is
placed near and in front of one of the two slits. Now
the fringe width is found to be . Then:
(a) = /
(b) =
(c) = ( - 1)
(d) =
24. In Young's experiment the wavelength of red light is
7.8 x 10-5 cm and that of blue light 5.2 x l0-5 cm. The
value of n for which (n + l)th blue bright band
coincides with nth red band is:
(a) 4
(b) 3
(c) 2 (d) 1
25. A slit 5.0 cm wide is irradiated normally with
microwaves of wavelength 1.0 cm. Then the angular
spread of the central maximum on either side of the
incident light is nearly:
(a) (1/5) radian
(b) 4 radian
(c) 5 radian
(d) 6 radian
26. In the Young's double slit experiment, the intensity
on the screen at a point where path difference is is

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

K. What will be the intensity at the point where path

difference is (/4)?
(a) K/4
(b) K/2
(c) K
(d) Zero
Microwaves from a transmitter are directed normally
towards a plane reflector. A detector moves along the
normal to the reflector. Between positions of 14
successive maxima the detector travels a distance of
0.14 m. The frequency of transmitter is (c = 3 x
108m/s):
(a) 1.5 x 1010 Hz
(b) 1010 Hz
10
(c) 3 x 10 Hz
(d) 6 x 1010 Hz
Diffraction effects are easily observable for:
(a) microwaves
(b) sound waves
(c) radio waves
(d) all of the above
In Young's double slit experiment:
(a) only interference and no diffraction occurs
(b) only diffraction and no interference occurs
(c) both interference and diffraction occur
(d) nothing specific can be predicted
The phenomenon of diffraction may be thought of as
interference, where the number of coherent sources
are:
(a) zero
(b) two
(c) infinite (d) none of these
The phenomenon of diffraction can be exhibited by:
(a) polarised waves only
(b) unpolarised waves only
(c) longitudinal waves only
(d) all, polarised or unpolarised, longitudinal or
transverse waves
The first diffraction minimum due to a single slit
diffraction is at = 30 for a light of wavelength 5000
. The width of the slit is:
(a) 5 x 10-5 cm
(b) 1.0 x 10-4 cm
-5
(c) 2.5 x 10 cm
(d) 1.25 x 10-5 cm
The position of the direct image obtained at O, when a
monochromatic beam of light is passed through a
plane transmission grating at normal incidence is
shown in figure. The diffracted images A, B and C
correspond to the first, second and third order
diffraction when the source is replaced by another
source of shorter wavelength:
(a) all the four will shift in the
direction C to O
(b) all the four will shift in the
direction O to C
(c) the images C, B and A will
shift towards O
(d) the images C, B and A will shift away to O
Light of wavelength 6328 is incident normally on a
slit having a width of 0.2 mm. The width of the central
maximum measured from minimum to minimum of
diffraction pattern on a screen 9.0 metres away will be
about:
(a) 0.36 degrees
(b) 0.18 degrees

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(c) 0.72 degrees
(d) 0.09 degrees
35. A beam of light of wavelength 600 nm from a
distant source falls on a single slit 1.00 mm wide
and the resulting diffraction pattern is observed on a
screen 2 m away. The distance between the first dark
fringes on either side of the central bright fringe is:
(a) 1.2 cm (b) 1.2 mm (c) 2.4 cm (d) 2.4 mm
36. If light is polarised by reflection, then the angle
between reflected and refracted light is:
(a)
(b) /2
(c) 2
(d) /4
37. Polaroid glass is used in sun glasses because;
(a) it reduces the light intensity to half on account
of polarisation
(b) it is fashionable
(c) it has good colour
(d) it is cheaper
38. A beam of light strikes a piece of glass at an angle of
incidence of 60 and the reflected beam is
completely plane polarised. The refractive index of
the glass is:
(a) 1.5
(b) 3
(c) 2
(d) (3/2)
39. A polaroid is place at 45 to an incoming light of
intensity I0. Now the intensity of light passing
through the polaroid after polarization would be:
(a) I0
(b) I0/2 (c) I0/4
(d) zero
40. Two Nichol prisms are first crossed and then one of
them is rotated through 60. The percentage of
incident light transmitted is:
(a) 1.25
(b) 25.0
(c) 37.5
(d) 50
41. Two beams of light having intensities I and 4I
interfere to produce a fringe pattern on a screen. The
phase difference between the beams is /2 at point A
and at point B. Then the difference between the
resultant intensities at A and B is:
(a) 2I
(b) 4I
(c) 5I
(d) 7I
42. Which of these waves can be polarised?
(a) sound-waves
(b) longitudinal waves on a string
(c) transverse waves on a string
(d) light waves

ANSWERS
1c ,2d ,3a ,4d ,5c ,6c ,7a ,8c ,9a ,10c ,11a ,12c
,13c ,14d ,15b ,16d ,17a ,18c ,19b ,20d ,21a
,22d ,23d ,24c ,25a ,26b ,27a ,28b ,29c ,30c
,31d ,32b ,33c ,34a ,35d ,36b ,37a ,38b ,39b
,40c ,41b ,42d

Nishant Gupta, D-122, Prashant vihar, Rohini, Delhi-85

Contact: 9953168795, 9268789880