Interference using white light

In summary, the conversation discusses the use of white light in Young's double slit experiment and the resulting interference pattern. It is noted that the different wavelengths of light in white light will cause the colors to appear in different locations on the screen. There is also a mention of the possibility of additional colors appearing due to the combination of the seven colors in white light. The importance of conducting experiments to gain a better understanding of theory is also emphasized.
  • #1
songoku
2,266
319

Homework Statement


What will happen if we use white light at young's double slit experiment?


Homework Equations


interference


The Attempt at a Solution


Will we observe several colors on the screen because white light is composed from several light with different wavelengths?

Thanks
 
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  • #2
I wonder if the "several colors" will appear in the same places on the screen? Or will they be separated? Do you have a formula for the location as a function of the wavelength?
 
  • #3
Hi delphi51

I guess the formula is d sin θ = n λ. Because the wavelengths are different for the colors composing the white light, θ will be different for each colors. But there is possibility that some colors fall on the same spot on the screen, for example maybe the 3rd order of red light and 5th order of yellow light.

So, the pattern obtained on the screen is seven colors composing white light and another several colors resulting from combination of some of the seven colors. And I think the interference pattern will not be a complete destructive or constructive interference since the waves have are not coherent.

Do I get it right?

Thanks
 
  • #4
Looks good! Some would use the word "rainbow".
Next step: try it and see how good your prediction is!
 
  • #5
Delphi51 said:
Looks good! Some would use the word "rainbow".
Next step: try it and see how good your prediction is!

Try it? You mean I do experiment? But I don't have any tools and I don't think the school will let me use the lab for now. So for now I just believe that my prediction is 99.99% accurate :biggrin:

Thanks :smile:
 
  • #6
You'll miss out on the very important idea that theory depends on experiment, a real feeling for what the theory means, and the fun of it! A decent double slit is quite difficult to make and makes a pitiful interference pattern, but a small piece of 600 lines per mm diffraction grating is worth less than a dollar. Your mission is to convince the lab people that you are eager physicist material and willing to help clean or repair something if they will just give you a piece of grating so you can do an experiment. You'll make a great contact and really get into physics!
 

1. What is white light?

White light is a combination of all the colors in the visible spectrum, which includes red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. It is the light that we see everyday and is produced by the sun, light bulbs, and other sources.

2. What is interference?

Interference is the phenomenon that occurs when two or more waves interact with each other. In the case of white light, it refers to the interference of different colors of light that make up white light.

3. How does interference occur with white light?

Interference with white light occurs when two or more waves of different colors overlap and create a new wave with a different color as a result of constructive or destructive interference. This is because each color of light has a different wavelength and can either amplify or cancel each other out when they overlap.

4. What are the types of interference using white light?

The two types of interference using white light are constructive and destructive interference. Constructive interference occurs when two waves of the same color overlap and amplify each other, resulting in a brighter color. Destructive interference occurs when two waves of opposite colors overlap and cancel each other out, resulting in a darker color or no color at all.

5. How is interference using white light used in everyday life?

Interference using white light is used in various applications, such as in optical coatings to create colors on surfaces, in holograms to create 3D images, and in anti-reflective coatings for eyeglasses and camera lenses. It is also used in technology like CD and DVD players to read and write data using interference patterns on the disc's surface.

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