Interference of Waves

Wave Optics:
Lecture - 3
Jayant Nagda
Physics Educator
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B.Tech, IIT Bombay

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Terms

Polychromatic light

Light containing several wavelengths.

Example : torch light

Terms

Monochromatic light

Light of same wavelength.

Example : Laser
Terms

Polychromatic light

Monochromatic light
 Terms
Two sources are said to be coherent
Coherent sources
if they produce waves of same frequency
with a constant phase difference
(not changing with time)
Example
Following two light sources are

A. Coherent B. Non-Coherent
 Terms

InCoherent sources having no definite or stable phase relationship.

Interference Pattern will not be sustained.

Terms
sources with different frequencies
Sinusoidal Wave

y = A sin (kx - ωt + Φ)

A: amplitude of wave
T: time period
Φ: phase constant
λ: wavelength
ω: angular frequency
Relation between 🛆Φ and 🛆x y1 = y01 sin(kx - ωt)

S1 y2 = y02 sin(k(x + ∆x) - ωt)

P = y02 sin(kx - ωt + k ∆x)

S2
Relation between 🛆Φ and 🛆x y1 = y01 sin(kx - ωt)

S1 y2 = y02 sin(k(x + ∆x) - ωt)

P = y02 sin(kx - ωt + k ∆x)

S2

Relationship between path difference (x) and phase difference (ф)

Relation between 🛆Φ and 🛆x

Relationship between path difference (x) and phase difference (ф)

Interference of Waves
Superposition Principle

When two or more waves meet at a point,

the resultant wave has a displacement which is the
algebraic sum of the displacements of each wave.
Interference of Light Superposition Principle

for Light Waves The instantaneous optical disturbance at a point

where two or more light waves cross
is the sum of the optical disturbances
that would be produced by each of the waves separately.

y = y1 + y2
Interference of Waves

y1 = A1 sin (kx - ωt) y2 = A2 sin (kx - ωt + δ)

According to the principle of superposition

y = y1 + y2

y = A1 sin (kx - ωt) + A2 sin (kx - ωt + δ)

= A1 sin (kx - ωt) + A2 sin (kx - ωt) cos δ + A2 cos (kx - ωt)sinδ

= (A1 + A2 cos δ) sin (kx - ωt) + (A2 sin δ) cos (kx - ωt)
Interference of Waves
y = (A1 + A2 cos δ) sin (kx - ωt) + (A2 sin δ) cos (kx - ωt)

y = A cos Φ sin (kx - ωt) + A sin Φ cos (kx - ωt)

= A sin (kx - ωt + Φ)

Where
C = A1 + A2 cos δ = A cos Φ D = A2 sin δ = A sin Φ
Interference of Waves

also

y1 = A1 sin (kx - ωt)

A A2
y2 = A2 sin (kx - ωt + δ)
Φ δ
y = A sin (kx - ωt + Φ) A1

Interfering Waves must have:

same frequency (𝜈 and also ⍵)
and constant phase difference
Interference of Light Waves

S1, S2 are two coherent sources superposing at P.

If phase difference between them at P is Φ and
amplitude of two sources are A1 & A2
then resultant amplitude at P will be

S1 A1

P
∆Φ = Φ
S2 A2
Interference of Light Waves

I : Intensity of a wave
I∝ A2
A: Amplitude of wave

Resultant Intensity at P is
Example Two monochromatic light waves of amplitudes A and 2A
interfering at a point, have a phase difference of 60º. The
intensity at that point will be proportional to

A. 3A2 B. 5A2 C. 7A2 D. 9A2

Example Two waves of equal amplitudes and wavelengths but
differing in phase are superimposed. Amplitude of resultant
wave is maximum when phase difference is
A. Zero B. π/12 C. π D. 3π/2
Constructive Interference
1. Condition for Maxima

CosΦ = +1
Constructive Interference
1. Condition for Maxima

CosΦ = +1 OR Φ = 2nπ OR ∆x = nλ n = 0, 1, 2, ....

Destructive Interference

2. Condition for Minima

CosΦ = -1
Destructive Interference

2. Condition for Minima

CosΦ = -1 OR Φ = (2n - 1)π OR ∆x = (n - ½ )λ n = 1, 2, 3, ....

Interference of Waves If slits of equal size are used then I1 = I2 = I0

1. Constructive Interference or Maxima

resultant intensity

Imax = 4 I0

very bright spot or Bright fringe

2. Destructive Interference or Minima

Imin = 0

(dark spot or Dark Fringe)

Particle nature or Wave nature

Interference experiment in 1801

Light from two sources producing Maxima & Minima.

Thomas Young
(1773 - 1829)
Daily Practice Problems
Example The phenomenon of interference is shown by
A. Longitudinal mechanical waves only

B. Transverse mechanical waves only

C. Electromagnetic waves only

D. All the above types of waves

Ans : [D]
Example Choose the correct option

A. Light of single wavelength is called monochromatic light.

B. The best monochromatic light are LASERs in which the spread of

wavelength is very small but not zero.

C. The wavelength of visible light is around 380-780 nm. The obstacles or

openings encountered in normal situations are generally of the order of
nm. As wavelength is several thousand times smaller than the usual
objects or openings. The diffraction (bending of light) is almost negligible
and light waves propagate in straight lines and cast shadows of
obstacles. This is the geometrical optics approximation. By the above
analysis propagation of light can be explained.

D. All options are correct.

Ans : D
Example For the sustained interference of light, the necessary
condition is that the two sources should
A. have constant phase difference

B. be narrow

C. be close to each other

D. of same amplitude.

Ans : [A]
Example Two sources of waves are called coherent if
A. Both have same amplitude of vibrations

B. Both produce waves of the same wavelength

C. Both produce waves of the same wavelength

having constant phase difference
D. Both produce waves having the same velocity.

Ans : [C]
Example When interference of light takes place

A. Energy is created in the region of maximum intensity

B. Energy is destroyed in the region of maximum intensity

C. Conservation of energy holds good and energy is redistributed

D. Conservation of energy does not hold good

Ans : C
Example Two coherent sources of different intensities send waves
which interfere. The ratio of maximum intensity to the
minimum intensity is 25. The intensities of the sources are
in the ratio
A. 25 : 1 B. 5 : 1 C. 9 : 4 D. 625 : 1

Ans : C
Example If two waves represented by y1 = 4 sin ωt and y2 = 3 sin (ωt
+ π/3) interfere at a point, the amplitude of the resulting
wave will be about

A. 7 B. 6 C. 5 D. 3.5

Ans : [B]
Example Two waves are represented by y1 = a sin ωt and y2 = a cos ωt,
the first wave
A. leads the second by π

B. lags the second by π

C. leads the second by π/2

D. lags the second by π/2

Ans : [D]
Example The interference pattern is obtained with two coherent light
sources of intensity ratio η. The value of is

A. B. C. D.

Ans : A
Example Two monochromatic waves each of intensity I have a
constant phase difference of Φ. If these waves superpose,
then the intensity of the resultant wave is

A. 4 I B. 4I cos Φ C. 4I cos2 Φ D. 4I cos2 (Φ/2)

Ans : D
Example In Young's double slit experiment, the intensity on the
screen at a point where path difference is λ is K. What will
be the intensity at the point where path difference is λ/4

A. K/4 B. K/2 C. K D. Zero

Ans : B
Example Two beams of light having intensities I and 4I interfere to
produce a fringe pattern on a screen. The phase difference
between the beams is π/2 at point A and π at point B. Then
the difference between the resultant intensities at A and B
is [IIT-JEE 2001]
A. 2 I B. 4 I C. 5 I D. 7 I

Ans : B
Example In Young's double slit experiment, the interference pattern
is found to have an intensity ratio between the bright and
dark fringes as 9. This implies that
A. the intensities at the screen due to the two slits
are 5 units and 4 units respectively.
B. the intensities at the screen due to the two slits
are 4 units and 1 unit respectively
C. the amplitude ratio is 3
D. the amplitude ratio is 2

Ans : [B,D]
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