mgb_phys said:Because the fringes are formed in the air gap - the experiment works just as well with two metal mirrors.
mgb_phys said:The experiment is to measure fringes formed in the air between the two slides.
The only reason you use glass slides is to be able to see what's happening - all the interference takes place in the air (the wedge gap) between them.
When light enters glass, it undergoes a phenomenon known as refraction, where the speed of light changes as it passes through the glass. This results in a change in the wavelength of the light, which is why we need to convert the wavelength to accurately measure and understand the properties of light.
As mentioned, light undergoes refraction when it enters glass, meaning its speed changes. This change in speed causes the light to bend, and as a result, the wavelength of the light also changes. This means that the frequency of the light remains the same, but its wavelength becomes shorter.
The energy of light remains the same when it enters glass. However, since the speed of light changes, the wavelength changes as well. This results in a change in the direction of the light, but the energy remains constant.
To convert the wavelength of light when it enters glass, we use a formula known as the refractive index. The refractive index takes into account the speed of light in air and glass to calculate the change in wavelength. This allows us to accurately measure and understand the properties of light in different mediums.
Understanding the conversion of wavelength in glass is crucial in various fields such as optics, materials science, and engineering. It allows us to accurately design and develop devices and materials that utilize light, such as lenses, fiber optics, and solar panels. Without this understanding, we would not be able to harness the full potential of light in these applications.