Wave Optics — Flashcards
Tamil Nadu Board · Class 12 · Physics
30 flashcards for Wave Optics (Tamil Nadu Board Class 12 Physics) to test yourself on key terms and facts. Sample: "State the dual nature of light.
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State the dual nature of light and explain what it means.
Answer
Light has DUAL NATURE: It propagates as a WAVE (electromagnetic wave) and interacts with matter as a PARTICLE (photon). This means: (1) Wave properties explain interference, diffraction, and polarizat…
What is a wavefront? Describe the types of wavefronts produced by different sources.
Answer
WAVEFRONT: The locus of all points that oscillate in the same phase at a given instant. It is always perpendicular to the direction of light propagation (rays). TYPES: (1) SPHERICAL WAVEFRONT: Produce…
State Huygens' Principle and explain how it accounts for wavefront propagation.
Answer
HUYGENS' PRINCIPLE: Each point on a wavefront acts as a source of secondary wavelets that spread in all directions with the speed of light. The envelope of all these secondary wavelets forms the new w…
Prove that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection using Huygens' Principle.
Answer
PROOF: Consider a plane wavefront AB incident on mirror XY. When point A touches mirror, point B is at distance BB'. For same time t: Distance traveled by light from B to B' equals distance from A to …
A monochromatic light of wavelength 450 nm travels from vacuum (n=1) into water (n=1.33). Calculate: (a) wavelength in water, (b) speed in water, (c) frequency in both media.
Answer
GIVEN: λ₁ = 450 nm, n₁ = 1, n₂ = 1.33, c = 3×10⁸ m/s (a) WAVELENGTH IN WATER: Relation: λ₁/λ₂ = n₂/n₁ λ₂ = (n₁/n₂) × λ₁ = (1/1.33) × 450 = 338.35 nm Answer: 338.35 nm (b) SPEED IN WATER: Relation: ν…
What is interference of light? State the conditions for constructive and destructive interference.
Answer
INTERFERENCE: Phenomenon where two light waves superpose to produce regions of maximum intensity (bright) and minimum intensity (dark). Occurs because of the wave nature of light. CONDITIONS FOR CONS…
Two light sources with amplitudes 4 units and 6 units interfere. Find the ratio of maximum to minimum intensity.
Answer
GIVEN: a₁ = 4 units, a₂ = 6 units RESULTANT AMPLITUDE: A = √(a₁² + a₂² + 2a₁a₂cosφ) MAXIMUM AMPLITUDE (φ = 0, cosφ = 1): A_max = √(a₁² + a₂² + 2a₁a₂) A_max = √((a₁ + a₂)²) = a₁ + a₂ = 4 + 6 = 10 uni…
What is the relationship between path difference and phase difference? If path difference is 2.5 wavelengths, what is the phase difference?
Answer
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PATH DIFFERENCE AND PHASE DIFFERENCE: One wavelength λ corresponds to phase difference 2π radians. Path difference Δ corresponds to phase difference φ: Formula: φ = (2π/λ) × Δ Or…
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