2016 IBH2 Waves Interference REVISION

Table of Contents
Standing waves Q 1 to 6 ......................................................................................................................... 1
2 source interference Q 7 to 11 ............................................................................................................... 6
Single slit diffraction and resolution Q 12 to 19 ..................................................................................... 14
Diffraction gratings and resolvance Q 20 (numbered) plus extra ............................................................ 23
Thin Film Interference Q21 to 22 (numbered) plus extra ....................................................................... 25

Standing waves Q 1 to 6
1. An organ pipe of length L is open at one end and closed at the other. Which of the following gives the
wavelength of the second harmonic standing wave in the pipe?

(Total 1 mark)

2. A standing wave is established in air in a pipe with one closed and one open end.

The air molecules near X are

A. always at the centre of a compression.

B. always at the centre of a rarefaction.

C. sometimes at the centre of a compression and sometimes at the centre of a rarefaction.

D. never at the centre of a compression or a rarefaction.

(Total 1 mark)

3. Which of the following statements is true for a standing wave on a string?

ISM 1
 A. No energy is transferred along the string.

B. The maximum kinetic energy of each segment of the string is proportional to the amplitude of the
segment.

C. Each segment of the string oscillates with different phase and frequency.

D. The amplitude along the string varies with time.

(Total 1 mark)

4. This question is about standing waves.

(a) State two properties of a standing (stationary) wave.

1. ..................................................................................................................................

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2. ..................................................................................................................................

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(2)

(b) The diagram shows an organ pipe that is open at one end.

The length of the pipe is l. The frequency of the fundamental (first harmonic) note emitted by the
pipe is 16 Hz.

(i) On the diagram, label with the letter P the position along the pipe where the amplitude of
oscillation of the air molecules is the largest.
(1)

(ii) The speed of sound in the air in the pipe is 330 m s–1. Calculate the length l.

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(3)

(c) Use your answer to (b)(ii) to suggest why it is better to use organ pipes that are closed at one end
for producing low frequency notes rather than pipes that are open at both ends.

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(2)
(Total 8 marks)

5. This question is about standing waves and organ pipes.

(a) State one way in which a standing wave differs from a travelling wave.

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(1)

(b) An organ pipe of length L is closed at one end. On the diagrams, draw a representation of the
displacement of the air in the pipe when the frequency of the note emitted by the pipe is the

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(3)

(d) State, in terms of the boundary conditions of the standing waves that can be formed in the pipe, the
reason why the ratio of the higher frequencies of the harmonics to that of the fundamental must
always be an integer number.

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(1)
(Total 7 marks)

6. This question is about standing waves.

A string is attached between two rigid supports and is made to vibrate at its fundamental frequency (first
harmonic) f.

The diagram shows the displacement of the string at t = 0.

(b) The distance between the supports is 1.0 m. A wave in the string travels at a speed of
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 240 m s–1. Calculate the frequency of the vibration of the string.

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(2)

(c) An organ pipe that is open at one end has the same fundamental frequency as the string in part (b).
The speed of sound in air is 330 m s–1. Determine the length of the pipe.

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(2)
(Total 6 marks)

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2 source interference Q 7 to 11
7. This question is about two-source interference.

A double slit is arranged so that its plane is normal to a beam of laser light, as shown below.

The wavelength of the light is 640 nm. The slit separation in the double slit arrangement is 0.85 mm.
Coherent light emerges from the slits and an interference pattern is observed on a screen. The screen is
parallel to the plane of the doubl slits. The distance between the slits and the screen is 2.4 m.

(a) (i) State what is meant by coherent light.

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(1)

(ii) Explain how an interference pattern is formed on the screen.

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(3)

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 (b) Calculate the separation of the fringes in the interference pattern on the screen.

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(2)

(c) The interference pattern in (b) consists of a series of alternate light and dark fringes. The intensity
of the light from one slit is now reduced. Suggest the effect on the appearance of the fringes.

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(2)
(Total 8 marks)

8. This question is about interference.

(a) Light from a laser is incident on two very narrow slits A and B.

(diagram not to scale)

Point C on the screen is directly opposite the midpoint of the slits.

(i) On the axes below, sketch the variation with angle θ of the intensity of the light on the
screen.

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 (2)

(ii) The separation of the slits is 0.120 mm and the wavelength of the light is
6.80 × 10–7 m. The distance between the slits and the screen is 1.40 m. Calculate the
separation of the bright fringes on the screen.

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(2)

(b) Slit A is covered with a transparent piece of glass. The effect of the glass is to increase the path
length of the light from the slit to the screen by half a wavelength. It may be assumed that the
amount of light absorbed by the glass is negligible. State and explain the effect(s), if any, of the
glass on the

(i) intensity pattern you have drawn in (a)(i).

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(2)

(ii) separation of the bright fringes calculated in (a)(ii).

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(2)
(Total 8 marks)

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9. This question is about interference.

Monochromatic, coherent light is incident on two narrow parallel slits whose widths are small compared
to their separation. After passing through the slits the light is brought to a focus on a screen producing
interference fringes. Point X is the midpoint of the slits.

The angular position of a point on the screen is determined by the angle θ.

(a) (i) Explain why the intensity of light at θ = 0 will be a maximum.

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(2)

(ii) The wavelength of light is 6.80 × 10–7 m and the separation of the slits is
1.13 × 10–4 m. Show that for the first order maximum θ = 6.02 × 10–3 rad.

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(1)

(iii) On the axes below draw a graph to show how the intensity of light observed on the screen
varies with angle θ. (You do not have to put numbers on the vertical axis.)

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 (3)

(b) The two slits are replaced by a large number of slits whose widths and separation are the same as
in (a).

State the changes, if any, in the intensity pattern you drew in (a)(iii) with reference to

(i) the value of the intensity at θ = 0.

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(1)

(ii) the angular position of the points of maximum intensity.

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(1)

(iii) the angular width of the fringes.

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(1)
(Total 9 marks)

10. This question is about interference and lasers.

(a) Two overlapping beams of light from two flashlights (torches) fall on a screen.
Explain why no interference pattern is observed.

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(3)

(b) Light from a laser that passes through a double slit is incident on a screen and produces observable
interference.

(i) Outline how the laser produces light.

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(2)

(ii) State the name of the property that enables the laser light to produce observable interference.

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(1)

(c) Outline how a laser can be used to read a bar-code.

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(2)

(d) A plane is flying at 100 m s–1 in a direction parallel to the line joining two identical radio towers as
shown in the diagram.

(not to scale)
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 The two towers each emit a coherent radio signal of wavelength of 5.0 m. The separation of the
towers is 200 m. To an observer on the plane the intensity of the received signal goes through a
maximum every 5.0 s. Determine the distance from the plane to the line joining the radio towers.

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(3)
(Total 11 marks)

11. This question is about two-source interference.

(a) Light from a laser is incident on two identical parallel slits whose width is small compared to their
separation.

(diagram not to scale)

After passing through the slits the light is incident on a screen. The separation of the slits is 0.50
mm and the distance between slits and screen is 2.0 m. The wavelength of the light is 700 nm.

(i) State why a laser is used as the light source.

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(1)

(ii) Determine the separation of points of maximum intensity on the screen.

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(2)

(iii) Describe the effect that increasing the number of slits would have on the intensity pattern on
the screen.

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(2)

(b) The slits in (a) are replaced with a diffraction grating that has 3.5 × 105 lines per metre.
Determine the number of positions of maximum intensity that will be observed on the screen.

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(3)
(Total 8 marks)

ISM 13
Single slit diffraction and resolution Q 12 to 19
12. The images of two sources are just resolved. Which of the following is a correct statement of the
Rayleigh criterion for this situation?

A. The central maximum of the diffraction pattern of one source must coincide with the central
maximum of the diffraction pattern of the other source.

B. Light from the sources must pass through a circular aperture.

C. Light from the sources must be coherent.

D. The first minimum of the diffraction pattern of one source must coincide with the central
maximum of the diffraction pattern of the other source.
(Total 1 mark)

13. Two binary stars emit radio waves of wavelength 6.0  10−2 m. The waves are received by a radio
telescope whose collecting dish has a diameter of 120 m. The two stars are just resolved if their
minimum angular separation in radians is of the order of

A. 2  104. B. 2  102. C. 5  10–2. D. 5  10–4.

(Total 1 mark)

14. In two separate experiments monochromatic light is incident on a single slit. The diagrams show the
diffraction patterns obtained on a screen far from the slit. In the top diagram the wavelength of light is λ1
and the slit width is b1. In the bottom diagram the wavelength of light is λ2 and the slit width is b2.

In each experiment the distance between the slit and the screen is the same. Which of the following may
be deduced?

(Total 1 mark)

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15. A parallel beam of monochromatic light of wavelength λ passes through a slit of width b. After passing
through the slit the light is incident on a distant screen. The angular width of the central maximum is

(Total 1 mark)

16. This question is about diffraction and resolution.

(a) A parallel beam of monochromatic light is incident on a narrow rectangular slit. After passing
through the slit, the light is incident on a distant screen.

Point X is the midpoint of the slit.

(i) On the axes below, sketch a graph to show how the intensity of the light on the screen varies
with the angle θ shown in the diagram.

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 (3)

(ii) The wavelength of the light is 520 nm, the width of the slit is 0.04 mm and the screen is 1.2
m from the slit. Show that the width of the central maximum of intensity on the screen is
about 3 cm.

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(2)

(b) Points P and Q are on the circumference of a planet as shown.

By considering the two points, outline why diffraction limits the ability of an astronomical
telescope to resolve the image of the planet as a disc.

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(3)
(Total 8 marks)

17. This question is about diffraction and resolution.

(a) Plane wavefronts of monochromatic light of wavelength λ are incident on a narrow slit.
After passing through the slit they are incident on a screen placed a large distance from the slit.

The width of the slit is b and the point X is at the centre of the slit. The point M on the screen is the
position of the first minimum of the diffraction pattern formed on the screen.
The path difference between light from the top edge of the slit and light from the bottom edge of
the slit is l.

Use the diagram to explain why the distance l is equal to λ.

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(3)

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 The wavefronts in (a) are from a monochromatic point source S1. Diagram 1 is a sketch of how the
intensity of the diffraction pattern formed by the single slit varies with angle θ. The units on the vertical
axis are arbitary.

(b) The diffraction patterns formed by each source are just resolved.

On diagram 1 sketch the intensity distribution of the light from source S2.
(2)

(c) Outline how the Rayleigh criterion affects the design of radio telescopes.

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 (2)

(d) The dish of the Arecibo radio telescope has a diameter of 300 m. Two distant radio sources are 2.0
× 1012 m apart. The sources are 3.0 × 1016 m from Earth and they emit radio waves of wavelength
21 cm. Determine whether the radio telescope can resolve these sources.

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(3)
(Total 10 marks)

18. This question is about the diffraction of light.

(a) (i) Describe what is meant by the diffraction of light.

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(2)

(ii) A parallel beam of monochromatic light from a laser is incident on a narrow slit.
The diffracted light emerging from the slit is incident on a screen.

(not to scale)

The centre of the diffraction pattern produced on the screen is at C. On the axes sketch a
graph to show how the intensity I of the light on the screen varies with the distance d from
C.

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 (3)

(iii) The slit width is 0.40 mm and it is 1.9 m from the screen. The wavelength of the light is 620
nm. Determine the width of the central maximum on the screen.

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(3)

(b) (i) When two separate lasers are used as sources, the images of the slit formed by the light from
each laser are resolved. State what is meant by the term resolved in this context.

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(1)

(ii) A car, with its two headlights switched on, is approaching an observer who has good
eyesight. Outline why, at a long distance from the observer, the images of the headlights of
the car are not resolved by the observer.

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(4)
(Total 13 marks)

19. This question is about microwaves.

(a) Radiation from a microwave transmitter passes through a single narrow slit. A receiver is placed
several metres beyond the slit. The receiver can be moved between point A and point B along a
line parallel to the slit.

(i) On the axes below, sketch a graph to show the variation of intensity of the microwave
radiation with distance along line AB. The graph has been started for you.

(3)

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 (ii) The width of the narrow slit is reduced. State and explain two effects on the intensity
distribution you have shown in (a)(i).

Effect: ...............................................................................................................

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Explanation: ......................................................................................................

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Effect: ...............................................................................................................

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Explanation: ......................................................................................................

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(4)

(b) Standing waves are formed in microwave ovens. Suggest why it is desirable that food is rotated
while being cooked in the microwave.

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(3)
(Total 10 marks)

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Diffraction gratings and resolvance Q 20 (numbered) plus extra
Use Q10 on P390 of textbook, slides and Tsokos. Resolvance is a new topic!

20. This question is about interference and diffraction.

Light from a laser is incident on two slits of equal width. After passing through the slits, the light is
incident on a screen. The diagram below shows the intensity distribution of the light on the screen.

(a) The wavelength of the light from the laser is 633 nm and the angular separation of the bright
fringes on the screen is 4.00  10–4 rad. Calculate the separation of the slits.

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(3)

(b) Light from the laser is incident on many slits of the same width as the widths of the slits above.
Draw, on the above diagram, a possible new intensity distribution of the light on the screen.
(2)

(c) The laser is replaced by a source of white light. Describe, if any, the changes to the fringes on the
screen.

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(2)
(Total 7 marks)

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Diffraction grating 1

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Thin Film Interference Q21 to 22 (numbered) plus extra
21. This question is about thin-film interference. The diagram shows a soap film suspended on a wire frame
which is aligned vertically.

The film is viewed in reflected white light. The lower part of the film exhibits a number of colours. The
section marked B is 260 nm thick. The refractive index of water is n = 1.33.
The table gives the wavelength range for the colours of the visible spectrum. Deduce the colour of the
section B of the film.

Colour Wavelength Range

Violet 380 to 450 nm
Blue 450 to 495 nm
Green 495 to 570 nm
Yellow 570 to 590 nm
Orange 590 to 620 nm
Red 620 to 750 nm

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(Total 4 marks)

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22. This question is about thin film interference.

A transparent thin film is sometimes used to coat spectacle lenses as shown in the diagram below.

(a) State the phase change which occurs to light that

(i) is transmitted at boundary A into the film.

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(1)

(ii) is reflected at boundary B.

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(1)

(iii) is transmitted at boundary A from the film into the air.

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(1)

(b) Light of wavelength 570 nm in air is incident on the coating. Determine the smallest thickness of
the coating required so that the reflection is minimized for normal incidence.

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(2)
(Total 5 marks)

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TFI 1

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TFI 2

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