# Interference Definition and 121 Discussions

In physics, interference is a phenomenon in which two waves superpose to form a resultant wave of greater, lower, or the same amplitude. Constructive and destructive interference result from the interaction of waves that are correlated or coherent with each other, either because they come from the same source or because they have the same or nearly the same frequency. Interference effects can be observed with all types of waves, for example, light, radio, acoustic, surface water waves, gravity waves, or matter waves. The resulting images or graphs are called interferograms.

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2. ### I Find the interference function for different emission modes

Homework Statement:: Find the interference function ##I(\delta)## where The emission is analyze by a Michelson interferometer. Relevant Equations:: ##I(\delta) = \frac{1}{2} \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} G(k) r^{ik \delta} dk## ##I(\vec{r}) = I_1 + I_i + 2 \sqrt(I_1 I_i) cos (k\delta)## I have 5...
3. ### A problem involving thin film interference

I know that every time that light goes from traveling through a medium with lower refractive index to one with a higher refractive index the reflected light undergoes a ##\frac{\lambda}{2}## phase change. Since this happens both at the air-plate and plate-glass interfaces we have that the phase...
4. ### Why does a traveling wave pulse get distorted?

I am getting confused by this question. Nevertheless, I tried answering this question. When I see the word pulse, it brings to my mind a pulse travelling in a rope as shown in diagram below and I cannot relate dispersion to the rope medium in which pulse is travelling. What I do know is that...
5. ### A Double double slit experiment and path information

Hi Pfq My question is about this experiment: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-68181-1 (the link was given by DrChinese. If all the impacts are conserved no interference can be seen on the screens. but if we only take the impacts (Y, yi) where Y is always at the same position on the...
6. ### I Interference of signal photons entangled with idlers

Consider the following experiment: A photon hits a beam splitter, then a non-linear crystal (nichtlinearer Kristall - sorry, prepared the image in German) on each path that does parametric down conversion, splitting the photon into a signal and an idler. The idlers proceed to two detectors (D1...
7. ### I Interference by reflection on a CD

A fairly focused beam of light incident on a CD projects a clearly visible interference pattern onto a screen. May I infer that it has good (or at least enough) spatial coherence? This property is evident, for example, in a lens-focused beam of light produced by a LED or by a ray of sunlight...
8. ### Resultant Frequency and Wavelength of Interfering Sound Waves

##-w1## and ##-w2## are to shift the cosine graph to the right, and ##\frac{2pi}{\lambda}## is to stretch the graph. But I can't seem to draw an appropriate ##y1+y2## graph (quite irregular) and I struggle to find the resultant frequency and wavelength. Also, why is there angular frequency in a...
9. ### I David Deutsch

David Deutsch is a well known proponent of the Many Worlds Interpretation. His argument seems to be that a single photon in the double slit experiment must be interfering with one from another world. It is commonly held by physicists that the the photon, as a wave going through double slits, can...
10. ### Interference pattern of a fan of plane waves

So I've kind of made the assumption that there will be an odd number of plane waves and the same amount above and below the z-axis. Then, using the diagram below, I determined the angle the nth plane wave makes with respect to the z-axis to be the angle it makes with respect to the n =1 plane...

27. ### Fringe spacing of the Interference pattern due to two Coherent waves

Homework Statement: In the attached image. Homework Equations: formulas of fringe width and phase differences I think. It has been a long time since I have dealt with these kinds of interference/fringewidth problem, I cant figure out a way to start solving this problem. I was thinking about...
28. ### B Phase shift in Mach-Zehnder interferometer

I'm confused by the phase shifts in a Mach-Zehnder interferometer because I keep finding two different explanations. One explanation (for example, given on Wikipedia, but also elsewhere) states that on each reflection, the phase shift is 180 degrees, but only, if light is reflected from the...
29. ### What do these submaxima represent - Interference Pattern

Hey all, Here's a neat picture: The green arrow points towards one of the submaxima that I am curious about. It's the submaximum of the curve labeled 1. 1. represents the interference pattern 3. represents the diffraction pattern 2. represents the irradiance pattern I guess that those...
30. ### The maximum intensity for light transmitted through a thin film

Homework Statement A thin (460 nm) film of kerosene (n=1,20) is spread out on water (n = 1,30). Light hits the (horizontal) surface of the film coming (almost) perpendicularly from above. A diver underwater, below the film. a) Find out the visible wavelength reflected into air that has the...
31. ### Interference from a thin film

Hello, I have a question about interference. I have interference from thin film, i.e. fringes of equal inclination. How I can calculate the radius of sample curvature from the interference pattern? How I can to determine the maximum radius of curvature of the surface at which interference will...
32. ### I Coherence, Young's double slit experiments.

In most textbook/internet explanation of light coherence, it gives two conditions 1) monochromatic light, same frequency. 2) light in phase or constant phase difference. Only with the two conditions can light interference pattern be observed in the double slit experiment. But this cannot be...
33. ### Interference of sound waves

Homework Statement Two in-phase loudspeakers, which emit sound in all directions, are sitting side by side. One of them is moved sideways by 3.0 m, then forward by 4.0 m. Afterward, constructive interference is observed 1/4 and 3/4 of the distance between the speakers along the line that joins...
34. ### Interference question

Mentor note: Thread moved from Adv. Physics Homework 1. Homework Statement Light is incident normally from air onto a liquid film that is on a glass plate. The liquid film is 174 nm thick, and the liquid has index of refraction 1.60. The glass has index of refraction n = 1.50. Calculate the...
35. ### The Difference Between Diffraction And Interference Patterns

I've recently come across this problem: Answer true or false. If light shines through 2 slits, will the diffraction pattern always be within the interference pattern. I don't understand this question, however. How can the interference and diffraction pattern be separated in this situation...
36. ### What constitutes a closed end in acoustic resonance in tubes

Dear all, For my students, I'm currently trying out some experiments they can do to simulate acoustic processes. One of the topics that we will be discussing is that of standing waves. Although I have never done it before--I come from a completely different background--I want to create...
37. ### Transmission of blue light through ceramics and surface roughness effects

Hey :) I measured the transmission of blue visible light (350-550nm) through lithiumdisilicate ceramics with an ulbricht ball and an spectrometer. The light source was a led dental curing unit (bluephase style). The light guide was positioned direct on the ceramics. Now I wanted to test...
38. ### Young's Modulus Experiment With a Glass Screen

Homework Statement Homework Equations Path difference is nλ at maxima, (n+0.5)λ at minima The Attempt at a Solution I think the phase difference between S1 and S2 is not 0 anymore, because the wave effectively takes a longer distance by going through S2. Thus, there is no longer a central...
39. ### Destructive interference for distance-specific illumination?

From a practical standpoint, can we combine two (or more) lasers tuned to almost-but-not-quite identical frequencies to create distance-specific illumination? For instance, say we have a 1 micron laser and a 0.9999 micron laser which we combine through some beam-combiner optics. In theory I...
40. ### Double slits and convex lens interference

Homework Statement Two slits (of width ##a=39 \mu m##) are lighted up with a monocromatic wave of ##\lambda=632,8 nm##. The distance between slits and the screen id ##D=4 m##. The distance between the slits id ##d=195 \mu m##. In front of the slits there are a convergent lens with focal lenght...
41. ### I Michelson interferometer dimensions

hi i want to design michelson interferometer device for measuring small distance movement i am using laser diode with a wavelength 635 nm and power 3 mw can any one tell me how can i decide the dimensions (from source to beam splitter , for beam splitter to fixed mirror , from beam splitter to...
42. ### I Analysis of Ultrasonic Waves at a point

I have a question regarding a theoretical analysis of Ultrasonic waves : The next picture represents a system of transducers sitting on fixed boards: Datum: * there are 4 transducers ( represented by blue color , indexed by letter ' T ' ) , each outputting Ultrasonic wave (represented by...
43. ### Sound wave interference

I collected this data by moving a sound level meter slowly through a total lenght of 0,75 meter between two speakers pointing towards each other. The wavelength of the sine waves was 0,343 meters and the frequency was 1000 Hz. The sound level meter measured the sound in dbA 20 times a second...
44. ### Inteference Fringes of Double Slit Experiment in Water

Homework Statement Suppose a double-slit experiment is immersed in water (with an index of refraction of 1.33). When in the water, what happens to the interference fringes? Homework Equations λ = λ0 / n y = (λmL) / d d = distance between slits L = distance to viewing screen n = index of...
45. ### Double Slit Wave Interference - what is m?

Hi, I'm doing a very simple problem, but I don't understand the diagram provided (see image below). What is m here? I know that m is the order with respect to the central bright fringe, but there isn't a central bright fringe (assuming those circles are the bright fringes)? Homework...
46. ### I Two coherent sources

If you have two similar coherent sources which are separated from each other by a barrier. Now one source sends particles one by one into one slit and the other sends particles into the other in a double slit interference experiment. Now, the photons are always undistinguishable, so they should...
47. ### How to calculate the path difference in this question

1. Homework Statement Two speakers S1 and S2 derived by the same amplifier and placed at y=1 and y = - 1.The speakers vibrate in phase at 600 Hz. A man stands on the x-axis at a very large distance from the origin and starts moving parallel to the Y - axis. The speed of sound in air is 330ms-1...
48. ### Relationship between interference and arm length in MZI

A question about the Mach-Zehnder interferometer. My understanding is: If its two arms are equally long, there is destructive interference in one output and constructive interference in the other output. So, the intensity of light detected at the first output should be 0% and at the second...
49. ### Interference of several waves

Homework Statement Four identical wave sources (s1,s2, s3,s4 ) are located at the corners of a square. We know the phase at three sources: 0 at s1, π/4 at s2, π/2 at s3. Whet is the phase we have to give to s4 in order to have a maximun of intensity at the center of the square? Homework...
50. ### Can an axisymmetric electric field be created without charges?

That is, a field that accelerates charges in opposite directions on each side of an axis. I was thinking about interference of similarly polarized waves travelling in opposite directions (so that electric field peaks and valleys overlap but magnetic field adds constructively) - would there be an...