WAVE FRONT

LETS SEE SOME SIMULATION

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/wave-
interference/latest/wave-interference_all.html
Wavefront:
A wavelet is the point of disturbance due to propagation of light.
A wavefront is the locus of points (wavelets) having the same phase
of oscillations.
A line perpendicular to a wavefront is called a ‘ray’.

Spherical Cylindrical
Wavefront Wavefront
from a point • from a linear
source source

Plane Pink Dots – Wavelets

Wavefront Blue Envelope– Wavefront
Red Line – Ray
Types of Wavefront
Types of Wavefront
Types of Wavefront
Types of Wavefront
Types of Wavefront
Huygens’ Construction or Huygens’
Principle of Secondary Wavelets:

. . .
. .
. .
S• . .
. .
. New Wavefront
. New
. . (Spherical) . Wave-
front
. (Plane)
(Wavelets - Red dots on the wavefront)

1. Each point on a wavefront acts as a fresh source of disturbance of light.

2. The new wavefront at any time later is obtained by taking the forward
envelope of all the secondary wavelets at that time.
Laws of Refraction at a Plane Surface (On Huygens’ Principle):
If c be the speed of light, t
be the time taken by light to N N
go from B to C or A to D or
B Rarer
E to G through F, then
E c, μ1
i
EF FG X i F C
t = + r Y
c v A Denser
G v, μ2
AF sin i FC sin r r
t = + D
c v

AC sin r sin i sin r

t = + AF ( - ) AB – Incident wavefront
v c v CD – Refracted wavefront
XY – Refracting surface
For rays of light from different parts on the incident wavefront, the values of
AF are different. But light from different points of the incident wavefront
should take the same time to reach the corresponding points on the
refracted wavefront.
So, t should not depend upon AF. This is possible only
if sin i - sin r or
sin i sin r
= or
sin i
=
c
= μ
c v =0 c v sin r v
Laws of Reflection at a Plane
Surface (On Huygens’ Principle):
If c be the speed of light, t
be the time taken by light to
go from B to C or A to D or N N
E to G through F, then
EF FG B D
t = + E G
c c r
i
X i r
AF sin i FC sin r Y
t = + A F C
c c

AC sin r + AF (sin i – sin r) AB – Incident wavefront

t = CD – Reflected wavefront
c XY – Reflecting surface

For rays of light from different parts on the incident wavefront, the values of
AF are different. But light from different points of the incident wavefront
should take the same time to reach the corresponding points on the
reflected wavefront.
So, t should not depend upon AF. This is possible only if sin i – sin r = 0.
i.e. sin i = sin r or i=r
Behaviour of a Plane Wavefront in a Concave Mirror, Convex Mirror,
Convex Lens, Concave Lens and Prism:
C
A A
C

D
B B
Concave Mirror D Convex Mirror
C
A A
C

D
B B
Convex Lens Concave Lens D

AB – Incident wavefront CD – Reflected / Refracted wavefront

 A C

B D
Prism
Prism
AB – Incident wavefront CD –Refracted wavefront

Coherent Sources:
Coherent Sources of light are those sources of light which emit light waves of
same wavelength, same frequency and in same phase or having constant
phase difference.
Coherent sources can be produced by two methods:
1. By division of wavefront (Young’s Double Slit Experiment, Fresnel’s
Biprism and Lloyd’s Mirror)
2. By division of amplitude (Partial reflection or refraction)
Interference of Waves:
E1 + E2 Bright Band
E1

Dark Band
E2 S1 •
Bright Band
S2 •
Dark Band
Constructive Interference E = E1 + E2
E1
E1 - E2 Bright Band
E2

Crest
Destructive Interference E = E1 - E2 Trough
Bright Band
1st Wave (E1) Dark Band
2nd Wave (E2)
Resultant Wave The phenomenon of one wave interfering
Reference Line with another and the resulting
redistribution of energy in the space
around the two sources of disturbance is
called interference of waves.
Theory of Interference of Waves:
The waves are with same speed, wavelength, frequency,
E1 = a sin ωt
time period, nearly equal amplitudes, travelling in the
E2 = b sin (ωt + Φ) same direction with constant phase difference of Φ.
ω is the angular frequency of the waves, a,b are the
amplitudes and E1, E2 are the instantaneous values of
Electric displacement.
Applying superposition principle, the magnitude of the resultant displacement
of the waves is E = E1 + E2
E = a sin ωt + b sin (ωt + Φ)
E = (a + b cos Φ) sin ωt + b sin Φ cos ωt
Putting a + b cos Φ = A cos θ (where E is the
A sin θ
resultant
b sin Φ = A sin θ displacement, A b sin Φ
b
is the resultant A
We get E = A sin (ωt + θ) amplitude and
θ is the resultant
phase difference) Φ θ
a
A = √ (a2 + b2 + 2ab cos Φ) b cos Φ
b sin Φ A cos θ
tan θ =
a + b cos Φ
 A = √ (a2 + b2 + 2ab cos Φ)

Intensity I is proportional to the square of the amplitude of the wave.

So, I α A2 i.e. I α (a2 + b2 + 2ab cos Φ)
Condition for Constructive Interference of Waves:
For constructive interference, I should be maximum which is possible
only if cos Φ = +1.
i.e. Φ = 2nπ where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, …….

Corresponding path difference is ∆ = (λ / 2 π) x 2nπ

∆=nλ Imax α (a + b)2

Condition for Destructive Interference of Waves:

For destructive interference, I should be minimum which is possible
only if cos Φ = - 1.

i.e. Φ = (2n + 1)π where n = 0, 1, 2, 3, …….

Corresponding path difference is ∆ = (λ / 2 π) x (2n + 1)π

∆ = (2n + 1) λ / 2 Iminα (a - b)2

Comparison of intensities of maxima and minima:

Imax α (a + b)2

Imin α (a - b)2

Imax (a + b)2 (a/b + 1)2

= =
Imin (a - b)2 (a/b - 1)2

Imax (r + 1)2
= where r = a / b (ratio of the amplitudes)
Imin (r - 1)2

Relation between Intensity (I), Amplitude (a) of the wave and

Width (w) of the slit:

I α a2
a α √w I1 (a1)2 w1
= =
I2 (a2)2 w2