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Tutorial 7 - Solution

The document contains solutions to 4 physics problems related to interference and diffraction of light. Problem 1 involves calculating fringe width and shift from a double-slit interference experiment. Problem 2 calculates wavelength using a biprism. Problem 3 finds fringe displacement when one slit is covered. Problem 4 determines the order where fringe patterns from two light sources overlap.

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35 views

Tutorial 7 - Solution

The document contains solutions to 4 physics problems related to interference and diffraction of light. Problem 1 involves calculating fringe width and shift from a double-slit interference experiment. Problem 2 calculates wavelength using a biprism. Problem 3 finds fringe displacement when one slit is covered. Problem 4 determines the order where fringe patterns from two light sources overlap.

Uploaded by

nilay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tutorial 7

Problem1. Figure illustrates the interference experiment with Fresnel’s mirrors.


The angle between the mirrors α: is: 12’; and the distances r and b are: r = 10.0 cm
and b = 130 cm. The wavelength of light is λ = 0.55 µm. Find:
a) The fringe-width and the no. of possible maxima;
b) The shift of the interference pattern on the screen when the source slit
S is displaced by δl = 1.0 mm along the arc of radius r about the center
O;
c) The maximum width δmax of the source slit at which the fringe pattern
on the screen can still be observed sufficiently sharp.

Fig. 1. Interference Experiment with Fresnel’s Mirrors

Solution:
𝜆𝐷
(a) We know that fringe width for interference = = β --------------(1)
𝑑

Distance from slit to screen D = a + b


OS = OS’ = OS” = r, r = the radius of curvature.
a= OP = r cosα = r, As, α is very small.
𝑑
= r sinα or, Slit width = S’S’’ =d = 2r sinα ~ 2rα
2
𝜆(𝑟+𝑏)
From equation (1) we get, β = .
2𝑟𝛼

Putting λ = 0.55 µm = 0.55* 10-6 m; r =10 cm = 0.1 m; b =130 cm =1.3 m;


12 𝜋
α = 12’ = * Radians
60 180

We get Fringe Width, β = 1.1 mm.


Here, 2bα = length of the spot which gets light after reflection from both the
mirror.
2bα
So, no of possible maximum = + 1 = 8.3 + 1 ≈ 9
𝛽
We have taken in account for the fact that there reside two maxima at two ends
of one dark spot.

(b) When the slit moves by δl along the arc of radius r, the incident ray on the
𝛿𝑙
mirror rotates by the angle δα = . Reflected ray also rotates by same angle.
𝑟
𝛿𝑙
So, the shift of the fringe magnitude = bδα = b = 13 mm.
𝑟
(c) If the width of the slit is δ, then we can imagine the slit to consist of two narrow
slits with separation δ. The fringe pattern due to the wide slit is the superposition of
the pattern due to these two narrow slits. The full pattern will not be sharp at all if
1
the pattern due to the two narrow slits are β apart because then the maxima due to
2
one will fill the minima due to other. So, we can estimate that,
𝑏𝛿𝑚𝑎𝑥 1
= 𝛽
𝑟 2
𝑟𝛽
δmax = = 42.31 µm.
2𝑏
Problem 2. The distances from a Fresnel Biprism to a narrow slit and a screen are
equal to a = 25 cm and b = 100 cm respectively. The refracting angle of the glass
biprism (µ = 1.5) is equal to α = 20’. Find the wavelength of light at which the
fringe width on the screen is Δx = 0.55 mm.
Solution:

Fig. 2. Fresnel’s biprism

According to fig. the distance between two virtual sources is S1S2 = d = 2δa
Deviation angle δ = 2(µ -1)α
Hence, d = 2a (µ -1)α
𝜆𝐷 𝜆 (𝑎+𝑏)
Fringe width Δx = = …………………(1)
𝑑 2a (µ −1)α
Putting Δx = 0.55 mm, a = 25 cm, b = 100 cm, µ = 1.5 and
20 𝜋
α = 20’ = * radians, in equation (1)
60 180
we get wavelength of light λ = 0.64 µm.

Problem 3. A plane monochromatic wave falls normally on a diaphragm with two


narrow slits separated by a distance d=2.5 mm and a fringe pattern is formed on a
screen at a distance L=100 cm behind the diaphragm. By what distance will these
fringes be displaced when one of the slits is covered by a glass plate of thickness
h=10 µm and refractive index n=1.5 ?
Solution:
Let us consider, the wavelength of the plane monochromatic wave is λ. The
separation of slits =𝑆1𝑆2 =d= 2.5 mm. The screen is at a distance L= 100 cm behind
the diaphragm.
So, we can calculate the fringe width β = λL/d.-----------------------------------(1)
In the figure, C is the position of the central P
h
bright band for which the optical path difference 𝑆1 Δx
is zero, i.e, 𝑆1 C=𝑆2 C.
d C
Now, slit 𝑆1 is covered by a glass plate of
thickness h = 10 µm and refractive index 𝑆2
n = 1.5. l

Then the central fringe will be shifted from C to P, where the optical path 𝑆1 P is
equal to 𝑆2 P. The time taken by light to cover 𝑆1 P and 𝑆2 P will be equal.
So, 𝑆2 P/c = (𝑆1 P - h)/c + h/v or, 𝑆2 P - 𝑆1P = (n -1)h -----------------------------(2)
where, c = speed of light in air and v = speed of light in the glass. Refractive index
n = c/v.
If P is the position of the 𝑚𝑡ℎ order bright fringe then, the path difference
𝑆2 P – 𝑆1 P = mλ-------------------------------------------(3)
From equations (3) and (4) we get, (n-1)h = mλ-----------------------(4)
We can write the shift of the central fringe,
Δx = mβ ---------------------------------(5)
From equations (1), (4), and (5) we can write, (n-1)h = mλ =mβd/L
Or, (n-1)h = Δxd/L
Or, Δx = (n-1)hL/d ----------------------------------------(6)
Now putting the values for L, d, n, h in equation (6), we get Δx = 2 mm.

Problem 4. In a two-beam Michelson interferometer, the orange mercury light


composed of the two wavelengths 𝜆1= 576.97 nm and 𝜆2 = 579.03 nm is employed.
What is the least order of interference at which the sharpness of the fringe pattern is
lost ?
Solution:
The orange mercury light composed of the two wavelengths 𝜆1 = 576.97 nm and 𝜆2 =
579.03 nm. The sharpness of the fringe pattern is lost if the bright fringe due to one
wavelength will overlap with the dark fringe of the other wavelength.
The path difference for the bright fringe is mλ, where m is the order number.
The path difference for the dark fringe is (m+1/2)λ.
The path difference for the bright and dark fringe will be equal when the fringes
overlap.
So, we can write,
Path difference for the bright fringe due to wavelength 𝜆1 = Path difference for the
dark fringe due to wavelength 𝜆2 .
So, m𝜆1 = (m+1/2)𝜆2
We consider, wavelength difference = (𝜆2 − 𝜆1) = Δλ = 2.06 nm
So, m𝜆1 = (m + 1/2)(𝜆1 + 𝛥𝜆)
Or, m𝜆1= m𝜆1+ 1/2 𝜆1 + 𝑚Δλ + Δλ/2
Or, mΔλ = -1/2𝜆1 (Δλ/2 is neglected)
Or, m = |𝜆1/(2Δλ)| (modulus is considered)
Putting the values of 𝜆1, Δλ we get order no. m = 140
So, the least order of interference is m = 140

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