- #1
Cocoleia
- 295
- 4
Homework Statement
Here i am asked to find the phase difference.
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
I know that usually the equation is mλ=asinΘ
Young's double slit experiment with the source being a slit
- Thread starter Cocoleia
- Start date
In summary, the conversation discusses finding the phase difference in a wave oscillation and explains that it is usually measured in relation to another point in the wave. The concept of relative phase is introduced and it is noted that distance can be related to phase. The conversation also mentions two paths starting at one slit and going to each of two slits, with the knowledge that they have the same phase at the single slit.
Here i am asked to find the phase difference.
I know that usually the equation is mλ=asinΘ
- #2
Cutter Ketch
- 982
- 445
I assume you mean the difference in phase at the two slits.
Phase is where you are in the wave oscillation. Well, that is changing all the time, so usually we mean relative phase. If this point in the wave is at one point in the oscillation, then we know this point, say a half a wave further along in the propagation direction is always going to be a half a wave behind in its phase regardless of what moment in time we look.
See how I related distance ("half a wave further along in the propagation direction") to phase ("half a wave behind in its phase"). Does that give you any ideas?
You have two paths starting at the one slit and going to each of the two slits. You know those two paths have the same phase starting at the single slit.
Phase is where you are in the wave oscillation. Well, that is changing all the time, so usually we mean relative phase. If this point in the wave is at one point in the oscillation, then we know this point, say a half a wave further along in the propagation direction is always going to be a half a wave behind in its phase regardless of what moment in time we look.
See how I related distance ("half a wave further along in the propagation direction") to phase ("half a wave behind in its phase"). Does that give you any ideas?
You have two paths starting at the one slit and going to each of the two slits. You know those two paths have the same phase starting at the single slit.
1. What is the Young's double slit experiment?
The Young's double slit experiment is a classic experiment in optics that demonstrates the wave-like nature of light. It involves passing a beam of light through two narrow slits and observing the interference pattern created on a screen placed behind the slits.
2. How does the double slit experiment work?
In the experiment, a beam of light is shone through a single slit, which acts as the source of the light. The light then passes through two narrow slits that are very close together. The light waves from the two slits then overlap and interfere with each other, creating a pattern of bright and dark fringes on the screen.
3. What does the interference pattern in the double slit experiment tell us about light?
The interference pattern observed in the double slit experiment indicates that light behaves like a wave. The bright fringes correspond to constructive interference, where the waves from the two slits reinforce each other, while the dark fringes correspond to destructive interference, where the waves cancel each other out.
4. How does the distance between the slits affect the interference pattern?
The distance between the slits plays a crucial role in the interference pattern observed in the double slit experiment. As the distance between the slits decreases, the fringes become closer together, and the pattern becomes more spread out. As the distance between the slits increases, the fringes become wider apart, and the pattern becomes more condensed.
5. What does the double slit experiment tell us about the nature of light?
The double slit experiment provides evidence for the wave-like nature of light, as it demonstrates interference patterns that are characteristic of waves. However, it also shows that light can behave as a particle, as the light is ultimately made up of discrete packets of energy called photons. This duality of light is one of the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics.
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