Model Questions for Practice

Set – I
Topic: Interference of Light
1. State the necessary conditions for sustained interference of light and derive the
expression for fringe width for the interference fringes obtained from Young double
slits experiment (YDSE).
2. Derive the expression for intensity pattern for YDSE and draw the intensity pattern
for YDSE in terms of path difference.
3. Explain the conditions to obtain coherent sources and why two independent sources
can’t be coherent, in general.
4. Explain the reason for appearance of colourful fringes on a thin films or soap bubbles?
5. A double-slit experiment is performed using light of wavelength 600 nm. The distance
between the slits is 0.1 mm, and the screen is placed 2 m away. What is the distance
between two consecutive bright fringes on the screen?
6. Suppose in the double-slit arrangement, d= 0.150 mm (distance between two slits),
L=120 cm (distance of the slit system from the screen), λ= 833 nm, and y = 2.00 cm
(linear distance of a point P from the centre of the screen)
(a) What is the path difference (δ) for the rays from the two slits arriving at the point
‘P’ on the screen?
(b) Express this path difference in terms of λ.
(c) Find the intensity at point P? Does point P correspond to a maximum, a minimum,
or an intermediate condition?
7. A thin film of oil (n = 1.4) is illuminated with white light at normal incidence. If the
film thickness is 400 nm, what is the wavelength of light that experiences destructive.
8. A disabled tanker leaks kerosene (n=1.20) into the Persian Gulf, creating a large slick
on top of water (n = 1.33).
1. If you look straight down from aeroplane on to the region of slick where
thickness is 460nm, for which wavelengths of visible light is the reflection is
greatest?
2. If you are scuba diving directly under this region of slick, for which wavelengths
of visible light is the transmitted intensity is strongest?
9. In a double slit experiment. the distance between slits is 5.22 mm and the slits are 1.36
m from the screen. Two interference patterns can be seen on the screen, one due to light
with λ = 480 nm and the other due to light of λ = 612 nm. Find the separation on the
screen between the third order interference fringes of the two different patterns.
10. A thin film of acetone (n=1.25) is coating a thick glass plate (n=1.50). Plane light
waves of variable wave lengths are incident normal to the film. When one view the
reflected wave, it is noted that complete destructive interference occurs at 600nm and
constructive interference at 700 nm. Calculate the thickness of the acetone film.?
 Model Questions for Practice
Set – I
Topic: Interference of Light
11. In a Young's double-slit experiment, the distance between the slits is 0.04 mm, and the
screen is placed 1.5 m away. If the second-order bright fringe is observed at an angle
of 30° from the central maximum, what is the wavelength of light used?
12. Two coherent sources of light produce an interference pattern on a screen. The sources
are separated by a distance of 0.2 mm, and the screen is placed 1 m away. If the distance
between the second-order dark fringe and the fourth-order bright fringe is 10 cm, what
is the wavelength of light used?
13. A soap bubble has a thickness of 200 nm. If white light falls normally on the bubble,
what is the range of colours observed due to thin film interference?
14. In a double-slit experiment, the distance between the slits is 0.2 mm, and the screen is
placed 2 m away. If the separation between two consecutive bright fringes on the screen
is 5 mm, what is the wavelength of light used?
15. In a Young's double-slit experiment, a total of 10 bright fringes are observed on a screen
placed 1 m away. If the distance between the slits is 0.02 mm, what is the wavelength
of light used?
16. A thin film of glass (n = 1.5) is illuminated with light of wavelength 500 nm. If the film
thickness is 1000 nm, what is the phase difference experienced by the reflected light?
17. A monochromatic light of wavelength 5893 Å is incident normally on a soap film of
refractive index 1.42. What is the least thickness of the film that will appear (i) bright
and (ii) dark by reflection.
18. Derive the mathematical expression for the radius of the nth dark and bright rings in
Newton’s Ring setup. How does the radius depend on the wavelength of light, the radius
of curvature of the lens, and the order of the ring? What will happen to the pattern of
Newton's Rings if the setup is immersed in a liquid of refractive index 'n'? Write the
expression for the new radius of the rings in the presence of this medium.
19. Explain what happens when Newton's Rings are observed using white light instead of
monochromatic light. How does the appearance of the rings change, and why does it
occur?
20. If the glass plate below the convex lens is slightly tilted, what will be the effect on the
Newton's Rings pattern? Discuss how the rings' symmetry would be affected by such a
tilt.
21. Discuss some practical applications of Newton's Rings in optics. How can this
phenomenon be used in determining the flatness of a surface or in testing the quality of
lenses?
22. In a Newton’s rings experiment, the radius of curvature R of the lens is 5.0 m and its
diameter is 20 mm a) How many rings are produced? b) How many rings would be seen
if the arrangement were immersed in water (n=1.33)? (Assume that λ = 589 nm.)
 Model Questions for Practice
Set – I
Topic: Interference of Light
23. In a Newton's ring experiment, the diameter of 4th and 12th dark rings are 0.4 cm and
0.7 cm, respectively. Deduce the diameter of 20th dark ring. Also calculate the radius
of curvature of lens, if the wavelength of light is 590 nm.
24. When a liquid is introduced between the lens and the plate in a Newton's ring
arrangement, the diameter of the nth dark ring changes from 0.30 cm to 0.25 cm.
Calculate the refractive index of the liquid.
25. A source emits light of two wavelengths 6000 Å and 4500 Å. Newton’s rings
arrangement was set up using the source, and interference pattern is observed. It is
found that nth dark ring due to 6000 Å coincides with (n + 1)th dark ring due to 4500
Å. Radius of curvature of curved surface is 90 cm. Find the diameter of nth dark ring
due to 6000Å.