Chapter 37

Interference of Light Waves

Multiple Choice

1. Of the following conditions, one that would account for a central dark fringe is

a. the two sources are out of phase

b. the two sources are in phase
c. the sources are monochromatic
d. the sources are coherent

2. A laser beam (λ = 694 nm) is incident on two slits 0.1 mm apart. Approximately how far
apart (in m) will the bright interference fringes be on the screen 5 m from the double slits?

a. 3.47 × 10–3
b. 3.47 × 10–2
c. 3.47 × 10–4
d. 3.47 × 10–6
e. 3.47 × 10–5

3. Estimate the distance (in cm) between the central bright region and the third dark fringe
on a screen 5 m from two double slits 0.5 mm apart illuminated by 500-nm light.

a. 3.47
b. 2.15
c. 1.75
d. 1.50
e. 1.25

4. Light is incident on a double-slit. The fourth bright band has an angular distance of 7°
from the central maximum. What is the distance between the slits (in µm)? (Assume the
frequency of the light is 5.4 × 1014 Hz).

a. 27
b. 21
c. 24
d. 18
e. 14

5. For small angle approximations

a. the angle must be 10° or less

b. the angle must be 10 radians or less
c. the angle must be 1° or less
d. the angle must be 1 radian or less
e. the angle must be 45° or less

© 2000 by Harcourt College Publishers. All rights reserved.

2 Chapter 37

6. Two slits separated by 0.1 mm are illuminated with green light (λ = 540 nm). Calculate
the distance (in cm) from the central bright-region to the fifth bright band if the screen is
1 m away.

a. 2.3
b. 2.5
c. 2.7
d. 2.1
e. 2.0

7. Two slits separated by 0.05 mm are illuminated with green light (λ = 540 nm). How many
bands of bright lines are there between the central maximum and the 12-cm position?
(The distance between the double slits and the screen is 1 m).

a. 1111
b. 111
c. 11
d. 1
e. 11111

8. Two slits are illuminated with green light (λ = 540 nm). The slits are 0.05 mm apart and
the distance to the screen is 1.5 m. At what distance (in mm) is the average intensity 50%
of the central maximum?

a. 1
b. 3
c. 2
d. 4
e. 0.4

9. Two slits are illuminated with red light (λ = 650 nm). The slits are 0.25 mm apart and
the distance to the screen is 1.25 m. What fraction of the maximum intensity is the
intensity measured at a distance 3 mm above the central maximum?

a. 0.94
b. 0.92
c. 0.96
d. 0.98
e. 0.99

10. In a double-slit experiment, the distance between the slits is 0.2 mm, and the distance to
the screen is 150 cm. What wavelength (in nm) is needed to have the intensity at a point
1 mm from the central maximum be 80% of the maximum?

a. 900
b. 700
c. 500
d. 300
e. 600

© 2000 by Harcourt College Publishers. All rights reserved.

 Chapter 37 3

11. In a double slit experiment, the distance between the slits is 0.2 mm and the distance to
the screen is 150 cm. What is the phase difference (in degrees) between the two
wavelengths arriving at a point P if the angular distance of P is 10° relative to the
central peak, and the wavelength is 500 nm? (Convert your result so the angle is between
0-360°).

a. 145°
b. 155°
c. 165°
d. 135°
e. 95°

12. In a double slit experiment, the distance between the slits is 0.2 mm and the distance to
the screen is 100 cm. What is the phase difference (in degrees) between two wavelengths
arriving at a point 5 mm above the central maximum if the wavelength is 400 nm?
(Convert your result so the angle is between 0 and 360°.)

a. 90°
b. 180°
c. 270°
d. 360°
e. 160°

13. The electric fields from three coherent sources are described by E1 = E0 sin ωt, E2 = E0 sin
(ωt + φ) and E3 = E0 sin (ωt + 2φ). Assume the resultant field is represented by Ep = ER sin
(ωt + α). To determine ER and α (for a given φ) it is necessary to have a

a. calculator
b. protractor
c. trigonometric table
d. all the above

14. An interference pattern is produced at point P on a screen as a result of direct rays and rays
reflected off a mirror as shown in the figure. If the source is 100 m to the left of the screen,
1 cm above the mirror, and the source is monochromatic (λ = 500 nm), find the distance y
(in mm) to the first dark band above the screen.

Source
y
Screen

Mirror

a. 1.0
b. 2.0
c. 1.5
d. 2.5
e. 5.0

© 2000 by Harcourt College Publishers. All rights reserved.

4 Chapter 37

15. An interference pattern is produced at point P on a screen as a result of direct rays and rays
reflected off a mirror as shown in the figure. If the source is 100 m to the left of the screen,
1 cm above the mirror, and the source is monochromatic (λ = 500 nm), find the distance y
(in mm) to the first bright fringe.

Source
y
Screen

Mirror

a. 1.75
b. 1.50
c. 1.25
d. 2.00
e. 3.75

16. An interference pattern is produced at point P on a screen as a result of direct rays and rays
reflected off a mirror as shown in the figure. If the source is 100 m to the left of the screen,
1 cm above the mirror, and the source is monochromatic (λ = 500 nm), find the condition for
maximum brightness on the screen in terms of θ, λ, and d.

Source
y
Screen

Mirror

a. 2d sin θ = mλ
b. 2d sin θ = (m + 1/2)λ
c. d sin θ = mλ
d. d sin θ = (m + 1/2)λ
e. none of these

© 2000 by Harcourt College Publishers. All rights reserved.

 Chapter 37 5

17. An interference pattern is produced at point P on a screen as a result of direct rays and rays
reflected off a mirror as shown in the figure. If the source is 100 m to the left of the screen,
1 cm above the mirror, and the source is monochromatic (λ = 500 nm), find the conditions
for minimum brightness on the screen in terms of θ, λ, and d.

Source
y
Screen

Mirror

a. 2d sin θ = (m + 1/2)λ
b. 2d sin θ = mλ
c. d sin θ = (m + 1/2)λ
d. d sin θ = mλ
e. none of these

18. Monochromatic light (λ = 500 nm) is incident on a soap bubble (n = 1.4). What is the
wavelength of the light (in nm) in the bubble film?

a. 255
b. 500
c. 700
d. 357
e. 422

19. Monochromatic light (λ = 500 nm) is incident on a soap bubble (n = 1.4) that is 50 mm
thick. What is the change of phase of the light reflected from the front surface?

a. 0
b. 180°
c. λ/2
d. π/2
e. 55°

20. Monochromatic light (λ = 500 nm) is incident on a soap bubble (n = 1.4) that is 500-nm
thick. What is the change of phase (in degrees) of the light that penetrates the front
surface, reflects from the second surface, and emerges through the first surface?

a. 280
b. 160
c. 220
d. 100
e. 290°

© 2000 by Harcourt College Publishers. All rights reserved.

6 Chapter 37

21. Monochromatic light (λ = 500 nm) is incident on a soap bubble (n = 1.4). How thick is the
bubble (in nm) if destructive interference occurs in the reflected light?

a. 102
b. 178
c. 54
d. 1
e. 89

22. The light reflected from a soap bubble (n = 1.4) appears red (λ = 640 nm) at its center.
What is the minimum thickness (in nm)?

a. 124
b. 104
c. 114
d. 134
e. 234

23. A thin sheet of plastic (n = 1.6) is inserted between two panes of glass to reduce infrared
(λ = 700 nm) losses. What thickness (in nm) is necessary to produce constructive
interference in the reflected EM radiation?

a. 218
b. 110
c. 55
d. 318
e. 443

24. In a Newton's rings apparatus, find the phase difference (in radians) if the thickness of
the air wedge is 500 nm for red light (λ = 640 nm).

a. 13
b. 11
c. 9
d. 7
e. 3

Conceptual Problems

25. In a double-slit experiment using light of wavelength 486 nm, the slit spacing is 0.600 mm
and the screen is 2.00 m from the slits. Find the distance along the screen between
adjacent bright fringes.

26. Nonreflective coatings for camera lenses reduce the loss of light at various surfaces of
multi-lens systems, as well as preventing internal reflections that might mar the image.
Find the minimum thickness of a layer of magnesium fluoride (n = 1.38) on flint glass
(n = 1.66) that will cause destructive interference of reflected light of wavelength
λ = 550 nm which is near the middle of the visual spectrum.

© 2000 by Harcourt College Publishers. All rights reserved.

 Chapter 37 7

27. Suppose two flat glass plates 30-cm long are in contact along one end and separated by a
human hair at the other end. If the diameter of the hair is 50 µm, find the separation of
the interference fringes when the plates are illuminated by green light, λ = 546 nm.

28. A soap bubble (n = 1.35) is floating in air. If the thickness of the bubble wall is 115 nm,
what is the wavelength of the light most strongly reflected?

29. A uniform film of oil (n = 1.31) is floating on water. When sunlight in air is incident
normally on the film, an observer finds that the reflected light has a brightness
maximum at λ = 450 nm and a brightness minimum at λ = 600 nm. What is the thickness of
the oil film?

30. The figure shows two point sources of light, A and B, that emit light waves in phase with
each other. A is distant 3λ from point P. B is distant 5λ. (λ is the wavelength.) The phase
difference between the waves arriving at P from A and B is

A
B

3λ
5λ

a. 0 rad.
b. π rad.
c. 2π rad.
d. 3π rad.
e. 4π rad.

31. The figure shows two point sources of light, A and B. B emits light waves that are +π
radians out of phase with the waves from A. A is 3λ from P. B is 5λ from P. (λ is the
wavelength.) The phase difference between waves arriving at P from A and B is

A
B

3λ
5λ

a. 0 rad.
b. π rad.
c. 2π rad.
d. 3π rad.
e. 4π rad.

© 2000 by Harcourt College Publishers. All rights reserved.

8 Chapter 37

32. The bright and dark bands you see in a photograph of a double slit interference pattern
represent

a . the respective positions of the crests and the troughs of the light wave.
b. an interference pattern that is not present unless it is produced by the camera lens.
c. the respective positions of constructive and destructive interference of light from the
two sources.
d. the respective positions of destructive and constructive interference of light from the
two sources.
e. the respective positions of bright and dark particles of light.

33. In an interference pattern, the wavelength and frequency are

a . the same in both the regions of constructive interference and the regions of destructive
interference.
b. greater in regions of constructive interference than in regions of destructive
interference.
c. smaller in regions of constructive interference than in regions of destructive
interference.
d. unchanged in regions of destructive interference but greater in regions of constructive
interference.
e. unchanged in regions of destructive interference but smaller in regions of constructive
interference.

© 2000 by Harcourt College Publishers. All rights reserved.

 Chapter 37 1

Chapter 37

Interference of Light Waves

1. Answer: a

2. Answer: b

3. Answer: e

4. Answer: d

5. Answer: a

6. Answer: c

7. Answer: c

8. Answer: d

9. Answer: a

10. Answer: a

11. Answer: c

12. Answer: b

13. Answer: b

14. Answer: d

15. Answer: c

16. Answer: b

17. Answer: b

18. Answer: d

19. Answer: b

20. Answer: e

21. Answer: b

22. Answer: c

23. Answer: b

© 2000 by Harcourt College Publishers. All rights reserved.

2 Chapter 37

24. Answer: a

25. Answer: 1.62 mm

26. Answer: 99.6 nm

27. Answer: 1.64 mm

28. Answer: 621 nm (red)

29. Answer: 343.5 nm

30. Answer: e

31. Answer: d

32. Answer: c

33. Answer: a

© 2000 by Harcourt College Publishers. All rights reserved.