lec39rq Interference

Conceptual Questions:

1. Interference effects observed in the early 1800's were instrumental in supporting a concept of the existence of which property of light?

a. polarization
b. particle nature
c. wave nature
d. electro-magnetic character

2. The blue tint of a coated camera lens is largely caused by what effects?

a. diffraction
b. refraction
c. polarization
d. interference

3. When light passes from a material with a high index of refraction into material with a low index of refraction:

a. none of the light is reflected.
b. some light is reflected without a change of phase.
c. some light is reflected with a 180° change of phase.
d. the light that is not reflected has a 108 ° change of phase.

Numerical Problems: answers link to a help page.

1. A Young's double slit has a slit separation of 2.5 x10-5 m on which a monochromatic light beam is directed. The resultant bright fringes on a screen 1.0 m from the double slit are separated by 2.3 x10-2 m. What is the wavelength of this beam? (1 nm = l0-9 m)

ans: 575 nm

2. What is the minimum thickness of a soap bubble film (n = 1.46) on which light of wave length 500 nm shines, assuming one observes constructive interference of the reflected light?

ans: 86 nm

3. A silicon monoxide thin film (n = 1.45) of thickness 97.4 nm is applied to a camera lens made of glass (n = 1.58). This will result in a destructive interference for reflected light of what wavelength?

ans: 565 nm

4. In a Young's double slit interference apparatus, by what factor is the distance between adjacent light and dark fringes changed when the separation between slits is tripled?

ans: 1/3

5. In a Young's double slit interference apparatus, by what factor is the distance between adjacent light and dark fringes changed when the wavelength of the source is tripled?

ans: 3.0

6. Two flat glass plates are in contact along one end and are separated by a sheet of tissue paper at the other end. A monochromatic source of 490 nm illuminates the top plate. If 21 dark bands are counted across the top plate, what is the paper thickness?

ans: 4.9 x10-6 m

7. A puddle of water (n = 1.33) is covered with a very thin layer of oil (n = 1.20). How thick is the oil in the region that reflects light with a wavelength of 550 nm?

ans: 229 nm