Nature and propagation of light

Wave Optics

The branch of physics that deals with the production, emission and propagation of light, Its nature and
the study of the phenomenon of interference, diffraction and polarization is called wave optics. It is also
called physical optics.

Nature and sources of light

Since the early times, different theories have been postulated to explain about the nature and
propagation of light. Follow your text book to know about these theories

Wavefront

According to wave theory of light, a source of light sends out disturbance in all direction. In the
homogeneous medium, the disturbance will reach in phase to all the particles of the medium located at
the same distance from the source of light. Therefore, at any instant of time, these particles must be
vibrating in phase with each other. If we join such particles, we obtain the wavefront.

Hence, a wavefront is the locus of all adjacent particles at equal distance from the source having the
same phase of oscillation or vibration.

The shape of the wavefront depends on the shape of the source. Depending on the shape of the source,
the wavefront is classified into following three types:

1. Spherical wavefront
A wave front produced from the point source is called spherical wavefront. All points which are
at equal distance from the point source will lie on a surface of sphere as shown in the figure.
2. Cylindrical wavefront
The wave front produced from the source which is linear on shape is called cylindrical wave
from. All points which are at equal distance from the line source will lie on the surface of
cylinder as shown in the figure.
3. Plane wavefront
A small portion of a spherical or cylindrical wavefront which is produced from the distant source
will appear plane and such wavefront is called plane wavefront . A plane wavefront is shown in
figure.
Huygen’s principle
According to Huygen, a source of light sends out waves in all direction. He put forward the following
assumptions for explanation of the propagation of wavefront.

1. Each point on the wavefront acts as a new source of disturbance. The disturbances from these
points are called secondary wavelets, which spread out in all direction in the medium with the
velocity of light.
2. The new wavefront (secondary wavefront) at any time is obtained by taking the forward
envelope of these secondary wavelets at that time.

Explanation:

Let AB be a section of a spherical wavefront at any instant of time. Each point on this spherical
wavefront is a source of secondary wavelets. Taking each point as a new source of disturbance, let
us draw a sphere of radius ct such that ct is the distance travelled by light in t sec. These spherical
surfaces represent the position of secondary wavelets. The forward envelop A’B’ of all the
secondary wavelets gives the position of the new wavefront and this wavefront is called secondary
wavefront after time t.
Similarly, A’’B’’ represent the backward secondary wavefront. In the backward direction there is no
transmission of energy and hence we discard backward secondary wavefront.

Laws of reflection of light on the basis of wave theory

The laws of reflection of light are:

1. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.

2. The incident ray, reflected ray and normal drawn at the point of incident all lie in the same
plane.

To verify these laws, let us consider a figure as shown below.

3 1l
2 2l
1 3l

B Bl

C ct ct E
N Nl
i r
i r
A D Al
Figure: Reflection at plane surface

A plane wavefront AB is incident on the reflecting surface XY such that the angle of incident is i. The
incident rays of light 1, 2 and 3 are perpendicular to the wavefront AB as shown in the figure. At t=0, the
point A of incident wavefront just touches the reflecting surface. After time t, the position of secondary
wavelets at point A is the sphere of radius ABl = ct and wavelets from point B forms the sphere of radius
BAl = ct. In the same time, wavelet from c reaches to D and then to the point E. A tangent AlBl drawn to
the spheres originated from A, D and B is the reflected wavefront. The angle made by incident ray to the
normal AN is angle of incidence and the angle made by reflected ray to the normal AlNl is angle of
reflection.

From figure,

In ΔABAl and ΔABlAl

ABl = BAl = ct

<ABAl = <ABlAl = 900 (rays of light are perpendicular to the wavefront)

AAl = AAl = common side

Hence, two triangles ΔABAl and ΔABlAl are congruent.

Therefore, <BAAl = <BlAlA

i.e angle of incidence(i) = angle of reflection(r)

This verifies first law.

From figure, incident ray, reflected ray and normal lies in the plane of paper. Hence, they all lie in the
same plane. This verifies second law.

Laws of refraction of light on the basis of wave theory

Two laws of refraction of light are

1. For any two given medium, the ratio of sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of
refraction is constant i.e. = µ (constant). This is called Snell’s law.
2. The incident ray, refracted ray and the normal at the point of incidence on the refracting surface
all lie on the same plane.

To verify these laws, let us consider a figure as shown below.

3
2

1
B
Rarer medium
N C ct
i
i D B’
X A r Y

vt r Denser medium
N’
A’

3’
1’ 2’
Figure: Refraction at plane surface

A plane wavefront AB is incident on the refracting plane surface XY separating two different media
such that the angle of incidence is i. The incident rays 1,2 and 3 are perpendicular to the wavefront
AB as shown in the figure. Let v and c be the velocity of light in the denser and rarer medium
respectively.
 At t = 0, the point A of wavefront reaches the refracting surface. After time t, the secondary
wavelets from A reaches to point B’ in the form of sphere of radius AB’ = vt. In the same time,
secondary wavelets from B reaches to point A’ such that BA’ = Ct. Similarly, wavelets from C reaches
to D and then to the point E. A tangent AlBl drawn to the surfaces of all spheres, formed from
wavelets at A, C and B is a new wavefront called refracted wavefront. Rays 1’, 2’ and 3’ are refracted
rays. The angle made by the refracted ray to the normal A’N’ is angle of refraction.

From figure, In ΔABAl

Sin i = = ……………. (i)

Similarly, In ΔAAlB

Sin r = = ……………. (ii)

Dividing equation (i) by (ii), we get

= = = µ (constant) ……….. (iii)

Where the ratio c/v = µ is constant called refractive index of denser medium with respect to the rarer
medium. Relation (iii) verifies first law.

From figure, the incident ray, refracted ray and the normal to the surface of separation at the point of
incidence all lie in the plane of paper. This verifies the second law.