Chapter –10 3.

State Huygens principle

Wave Optics Ans:

1. Define wavefront.

Ans: It is the locus of (collection of)

all points in a medium which are at the
same phase of vibration.

2. Which are the three types of wave

fronts?

Ans: The three types of wavefronts According to Huygens principle each

are: point of the primary wavefront acts
(i) Spherical wavefront as a source sending out secondary
wavelets. Secondary wavelets travel
with the same velocity as the original
wave (primary wave). A tangential
surface to all the secondary wavelets
form the secondary wavefront.

He also stated that the amplitude of

secondary wavelets is maximum in the
If the source is a point source, the wave forward direction and zero in the
front is spherical. backward direction.

(ii) Cylindrical wave front 4. Prove the law of reflection using

Huygens principle.

Ans: Consider a plane wavefront

incident at an angle i on a reflecting
surface MN. Let t be the time taken
by the wavefront to travel the
distance BC.

If the source is linear, the wave front is

cylindrical.

(iii) Plane wavefront

If the source is at infinity, the wave

front is planar.

SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut 1
AE  BC  vt Consider a wave front incident on the
I n t riangles  EAC and BAC, surface separating two media at an
angle ‘i’. It is refracted through an
AE  BC  vt,
angle‘r’. Let t be the time taken by the
 AEC =  ABC = 90 0 wavefront to travel the distance BC.
The side AC is common to
v 2  v1
both triangles.
v1t
  EAC and  BAC are congruent In  A B C , s in i =
AC
(RHS congruency). v2t
In  A E C , s in r =
 angles i and r would be equal AC
i=r s in i v t AC
  1 
This is the law of reflection s in r AC v2t
sin i v1 v n
5. Prove the law of refraction (Snell’s   But 1  2
sin r v 2 v 2 n1
law) using Huygens principle sin i n 2
 
Ans: sin r n1
Which is snell 's law.

SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut 2
 c c  v radial
n1  ,n 2  
v1 v2  c
c
Interference
n 2 v2 c v1
  
n1 c v2 c 7. State superposition principle of
v1 waves.
n 2 v1
  Ans: According to this principle “at a
n1 v 2 particular point in a medium the
resultant displacement produced by a
6. Explain Doppler Effect (in light).
no. of waves is the algebraic sum of the
Ans: The apparent shift in the displacements produced by each of the
frequency of light when the source and waves.”
observer move relative to each other is
y = y1 + y2 + y3.................
called Doppler Effect.
8. What is the relation between
When the source moves away
intensity of light and amplitude of
from the observer, there is an apparent
wave?
decrease in the frequency of light. This
is called red shift. Ans: Intensity of a wave is
proportional to square of the
When the source moves towards
amplitude.
the observer, there is an apparent
increase in the frequency of observed I α a2
light. This is called blue shift.
9. What is meant by coherent sources
The fractional change in the frequency
of light?
  vradial
 Ans: They are the sources of light
 c
which emit light of same frequency,
vradial is the component of source
same amplitude and same phase or
velocity along the line joining the
observer to the source relative to the constant phase difference.
observer. 10. Two independent sources can

vradial is +ve when source move away never be coherent. Why?

from the observer and otherwise
negative.
The formula is valid only when the
speed of source is small compared to
that of light.
The fractional change in the wave
length is given by
Ans: - Even though they emit light of
same frequency and same amplitude
they cannot produce light of same
phase.
11. What is meant by interference of
light waves?

SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut 3
Ans: When two light waves having 15. What is the relation between path
same frequency superimpose, regions
difference and phase difference?
of maximum intensity and minimum
Ans: Path difference of λ corresponds
intensity are formed. This is called
interference of light. to a phase difference of 2π.
If ∆x is the path difference,
12. What is constructive interference? 2
Phase difference ∆ɸ= x

Ans: When crests of two waves or two
troughs meet together the amplitude of 16. Explain Young’s double slit
the resultant wave becomes maximum. experiment. Also derive an
This is called constructive expression for the fringe width of
interference. Intensity interference bands.
2
of a wave I α a
Ans:
Imax α (a1 + a2)2
13. What is destructive interference?

Ans: When crest of one wave meet

with trough of the other the amplitude
of the resultant wave becomes
minimum. This is called destructive
interference.
I α a2
Imin α (a1 – a2)2

14. What are the conditions for Young’s double slit experiment
constructive interference and is a method to produce coherent
destructive interference? sources. Young derived two sources
Or S1 and S2 from a source of
monochromatic light S. When light
What is the theory of interference?
from S1 and S2 superimpose, we get
Ans: If the path difference between alternate bright and dark bands on the
the superposing coherent waves is an screen.
integer multiple of λ, constructive
interference takes place.
Path difference,  = n  ,
w here n is an integer
If the path difference between the
superposing coherent waves is an odd
multiple of λ/2, destructive
interference takes place.

Path difference,   (2n  1) ,
2
where n is an int eger

SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut 4
Expression for band width (fringe Band width  = x (n + 1)  x n
width)
(n + 1)D nD
 
FromS1AP, d d
D
S1P 2  S1A2 + AP 2  n  1  n
d
S1P 2  D2 +  x n - d/2  (1)
2

D
From S2 BP, 
d
S2 P2  S2 B2 + BP2 This is the combined width of a dark band
S2 P2  D2 +  x n + d/2  (2)
2
and a bright band.
2 2
 d  d D
(2) - (3)  S2P - SP
2
1
2
= xn +  - xn-  
 2  2 d
 d   d  17. How can you increase the fringe
 xn2+2xn d2/4 - xn2+ 2xn d2/4
 2   2  width of interference bands?
2 2 2 2
=xn +xnd + d /4 - xn + xnd - d /4 =2xnd Ans:
D
S2P2 - SP
1
2
= 2dxn We have,  
d
S2PSP
1  S2PSP
1  = 2dxn (3)
We can increase fringe width β by:
Let P is near to O, S2 P  S1P  D
 (3)  S2 P  S1P  D  D   2dx n (i) Increasing the wavelength of light
S2 P  S1P 2D  2dx n (λ)
dx n Fringe width will be greater for red
S2 P  S1P 
D than violet
x d
i.e., path difference = n  (4)
D (ii) Increasing the distance b/n the
For the point P to be bright, sources and screen (D)
path difference = n(5)
(i) By decreasing the distance b/n
xd
n  n the two coherent sources.
D
nD 18. Define fringe width?
xn 
d
This is the distance to the nth bright band. Ans: The distance between two
consecutive bright fringes or two
(n + 1) D
Therefore x n + 1 = consecutive dark fringes is called the
d
fringe width.

19. What are the conditions for getting

sustained interference pattern?
Ans: (i) The two sources must be
coherent

SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut 5
 (ii) The coherent sources must 22. What happens if the experimental
be narrow and very close to each other. set up of Young’s double slit
(iii) The screen must be at large experiment is immersed in water.
distance from the sources.
20. Draw the intensity distribution of
Ans:
light on the screen in Young’s double
slit experiment. D
We have,  
Ans: d
The velocity of light in water is less
than that in air. So the wavelength of
light is less in water. So the bandwidth
decreases.
23. What happens when
monochromatic light source in the
Young’s double slit experiment is
replaced by white light?
Colour of thin films
Ans: - Coloured fringes are formed on
This is due to interference. The
light ray reflected from the lower the screen. The central fringe will be
and upper parts of the film super white. The fringe closest on either side
imposes and interference pattern of central white fringe is red and the
is formed.
farthest will appear blue. After a few
The condition for brightness of a
fringes, no clear fringe pattern is seen.
colour at a particular point in the
film is, 24. If the amplitudes of the interfering
2nt cos r = (2n + 1)λ/2 waves are a 1 and a2. What is the ratio
t  thickness of the film. of maximum intensity to the minimum
r  angle of reflection intensity?
Different colours seen because the
thickness (t) of the film and the
angle of reflection (r) vary.
Eg: - soap bubble, oil film on
water
21. Which characteristic of light
remains constant, when it travels from
one medium to another?
Ans: Frequency

SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut 6
Ans: obstacle is comparable to the
Intensity of Bright band, Imax  (a1  a 2 )2 wavelength of light.

Intensity of Dark band, I min (a1  a 2 )2 27. Explain the diffraction at a single
slit.
I max (a1  a 2 ) 2
  Ans:
I min (a1  a 2 )2

25. Give the expressions to find the Consider a plane wavefront be incident
th on a slit of width ‘a’ and the diffracted
distance to the n bright band and
distance to the nth dark band from the light is made to converge on a screen
central bright band. using a convex lens.
Ans: Distance to the nth bright band The path difference of the light rays
from the central bright band reaching at P from A and C is
nD CP - AP  CD
xn 
d From  ACD,
And distance to the nth dark band from CD
sin  =
the central bright band a
1 a sin  = CD
(n  )D
x n  2 If  is very small, then sin   
d  path difference,
Diffraction of Light CD=a sin   a
26. What is meant by diffraction? Central Maximum
Ans: It is the bending of the light at the At ‘O’, the path difference b/n the
sharp corners of obstacles. Diffraction rays coming from AB and BC is zero.
of light occurs when the size of Hence constructive interference takes
place. This point is called central

SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut 7
maximum or principal maximum. The general equation for the minimum
Since the light rays from different n
intensity can be written as  = 
points of the slit interfere a
constructively, the point O is where , n = 1, 2, 3 etc
maximum bright. for first minima n=1
Positions of secondary minima for second m inim a n = 2
and so on

Let P be a point on the screen such Positions of Secondary Maxima

that path difference of the light coming Let P be a point such that path difference
from A and C is a =  of the light coming from A and C is
  = /a  (1) 3
Imagine the slit AC be split in two a = 
2
equal halves AB and BC. 3
Consider points K and Lat the mid points  =   (1)
2a
of AB and BC such that KL = a/2 Let the slit AC be divided in to three
 The path difference between the rays equal parts. The path difference
between the rays reaching P from the
reaching at P from K and L is
centres M and N of the first two parts
a of the slit is given by,
LP - KP = sin 
2 NP-MP= a sin   a 
a 3 3
= (2)
2 a
 
s u b s tu itin g e q n (1 ) in (2 ) 3
a  a 3 
LP - KP = .  
2 a 3 2a 2

 Since the path difference b/n the rays
2
Since the path difference b/n the rays reaching at P from M and N is λ/2,
reaching at P from K and L is λ/2, destructive interference takes place.
the intensity at P becomes minimum. Similarly, the waves reaching P from
 different parts of the first two parts of
Thus at an angle  = ,
a the slit, separated by a distance a/3,
the intensity becomes minimum. interfere destructively. And the waves
Similarly on the lower half of the screen; from the third part of the slit reaches
 the point P. Thus the point P becomes
the intensity is minimum for  = bright.
a

SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut 8
 Generally equation for maximum different wave of the same
can be written as fronts. wave front.

(2n + 1) ii) Fringes may ii) Fringes are

=  or may not be of never of equal
2a
equal width. width.
where, n = 1, 2, 3, 
28. Give iii) All bright iii) Intensity of
the conditions for (i) minima (ii) fringes have bright fringes
maxima of diffraction at a single slit same intensity. decreases as we
experiment iv) The regions move from the
Ans: (i) For minima of minimum central bright
intensity are fringe.
a sin   n  ,
perfectly dark. iv) The regions
n  1, 2, 3... of minimum
(ii) For maxima intensity are not
perfectly dark.

a sin   ( 2 n  1) Polarization
2
n = 1 , 2 ,3 .... 31. What is meant by unpolarised
light?
29. Draw the intensity distribution of
Ans: The ordinary light which
diffraction pattern
contains the vibrations of electric
Ans: field vector in every plane
perpendicular to the direction of
propagation is called unpolarised
light.

.
[ ‘ ’ represents the vibrations of the
30. Differentiate between electric field vector perpendicular to
interference and diffraction of light the plane of the paper.]
Ans: 32. What is meant by polarisation?
Interference Diffraction Ans: When ordinary light passes
through certain crystals like
i) It is the i) It is the
tourmaline crystal, the vibrations of
superposition of superposition of
electric field vector are restricted.
secondary secondary
This phenomenon is called
waves from two waves from
polarisation.
different parts

SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut 9
33. What is meant by plane polarised
light?
Ans: Plane polarized light which
contains the vibrations of electric
field vector in a single plane.
34. Using an experimental set up
explain the phenomenon of
polarisation of light.
Ans: When unpolarized light passes
through polarizer the light coming out
of it is plane polarized. If the polarizer
and analyser are parallel the intensity
of light coming through the analyser
will be maximum. If the analyser is
rotated through 900 the intensity of
light coming out of it becomes zero.
35. What is a polariser
Ans: The crystal which produces
polarised light is called a polariser.
36. What is an analyser?
SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut
Ans: The crystal which is used to
check whether the light is polarized or
not is called analyser or detector.
37. State Malus’s law
Ans:
Malus’s law states that when a
beam of plane polarised light of
intensity I0 is incident on the
analyser, then the intensity I of the
emergent light is directly
proportional to square of the cosine
of the angle (θ) b/n the (polarising
directions of ) polariser and
analyser.
Intensity of light coming out of the
analyser.
I = I0cos2θ
38. Define plane of vibration
Ans: It is the plane in which the
vibrations of the polarized light take
place.
39. Define plane of polarization
Ans: It is the plane perpendicular to
the plane of vibration of the plane
polarized light.
40. What is the importance of
polarization?
Ans: Polarization reveals the
transverse wave nature of light.
41. What is a polaroid? What are the
uses of polaroids?
Ans: Polaroid is an artificially made
polarising material that produce
intense beam of polarised light by
selective absorption.
Polaroids are used to control the
intensity of light in sunglasses,
10
windowpanes, etc. Polaroids are also
used in photographic cameras and 3D
movie cameras.
42. How will you distinguish
between polarized light and
unpolarized light?
Ans: When we observe unpolarised
light (ordinary light) through a Nicol
prism (tourmaline crystal), the
intensity of the light coming out of the
prism does not change if the crystal is
rotated.
But when we observe polarized
light through a Nicol prism, the
intensity of the light coming out of the
prism changes if the crystal is rotated.
43. Explain polarization by reflection
Ans:
When ordinary light falls on a
surface separating two transparent
media, a part of the light is reflected
and the other part is transmitted
(refracted).
For a particular angle of incidence,
the reflected ray is fully polarized.
This angle of incidence is called
polarizing angle or Brewster’s angle.
At the polarizing angle, the reflected
ray and the refracted ray are mutually
perpendicular.
We get, r + ip = 900
SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut
 r = 900 - ip
Here r is the angle of refraction and ip
is the polarising angle.
44. State Brewster’s law
Ans: Brewster’s law state that “the
tangent of the polarizing angle is
equal to the refractive index of the
material of the reflector.”
Refractive index, n21 = tan ip
45. Sound waves cannot be polarised.
Why?
Ans: Sound waves are longitudinal
waves. They do not contain
perpendicular vibrations. So they
can’t be polarised.
46. Explain polarisation of light by
scattering.
Ans:
When sunlight is incident on the gas
molecules in the atmosphere, it gets
scattered. The scattered light seen in a
direction perpendicular to the
direction of incidence is found to be
plane polarised. This phenomenon is
called polarisation by scattering.
When this polarised light is
viewed through a polaroid which is
rotated, then the intensity changes
with rotation.
Problems
11
1. Assume that light of 9. A slit of width ‘a’ is illuminated
0
by light of wavelength 6500A0. For
wavelength 6000 A is coming from a
what value of a
star. What is the limit of resolution of
(i) First minimum falls at an angle
a telescope whose objective has a
of 300
diameter of 100 inch (254 cm)?
(ii) First maxima fall at an angle of
2. Two slits are made one
diffraction 300
millimetre apart and the screen is
placed one metre away. What is the
10. What is the Brewster’s angle
fringe separation when blue-green
for air to glass transition? (Refractive
light of wavelength 500 nm is used?
index of glass = 1.5).
3. A monochromatic light of
wavelength 6000A0 illuminates two
11. The refractive index of a denser
narrow slits 0.3 mm apart producing
medium is 1.732. Calculate:
an interference pattern on screen 75
(i) The polarising angle of the
cm away. Calculate the separation
medium
between (i) the second bright fringe
(ii) The angle of refraction
and the central bright fringe, and (ii)
the second dark fringe and the central
12. Two tourmaline crystals are
bright fringe. [Ans: (i) 3mm (ii)
kept at an angle 60 0 with each other.
2.25mm]
What is the ratio of intensity of the
4. In Young’s double slit
emergent light to that of the incident
experiment, the slits are separated by
light? [Ans: 1:8]
0.28mm and the screen is placed 1.4
m away. The distance between the
13. Discuss the intensity of
fourth bright fringe and the central
transmitted light when a Polaroid
bright fringe is measured to be 1.2 cm.
sheet is rotated between two crossed
Determine the wavelength of the light
I0
used in the experiment. [Ans: polaroids? [Ans: I  sin 2 2 ,where
λ=6000A0] 4
5. Two coherent sources of light I0 is the intensity of light after passing
have an intensity ratio of 64:25. What through the first Polaroid]
is their amplitude ratio? [Ans: 8:5]
6. If the amplitudes of the 14. In interference and diffraction of
interfering beams are in the ratio 3:2 light, dark and bright bands are
I max formed on the screen. Do these
what is the ratio ? [Ans: 25:1]
I min phenomena violate the law of
I max 4 conservation of energy? Explain.
7. If  what is the ratio of
I min 1 15. When a tiny circular obstacle is
intensities of interfering beams? placed in the path of light from a
[Ans: 9:1] distant source, a bright spot is seen
at the centre of the shadow of the
8. Two slits in the Young’s double obstacle. Explain why.
slit experiment have widths in the
16. A plane polarized beam of light is
ratio 1:16. Deduce the ratio of
intensities at the maxima and minima passed through a Polaroid. Show
in the interference pattern. (Hint- Slit graphically the variation of
width is directly proportional to transmitted light intensity with
intensity) [Ans: 25:9] angle of rotation of the Polaroid.

SAJU K JOHN, M.Sc. Physics, NET, Doctoral Research Fellow at NIT Calicut 12