Senior High School

General Physics 1
Quarter 4 - Module 4
Interference and Diffraction
General Physics 2 – Grade 12
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 4 - Module 4: Interference and Diffraction
First Edition, 2021

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 Senior High School

General Physics 2
Quarter 4 - Module 4
Interference and Diffraction
 Table of Contents

Cover Page i
Copyright Page ii
Title Page iii
Table of Contents iv
What This Module Is About v
How to Learn from this Module v
What I Need to Know vi
What I Know (Pre-assessment) vii

Lesson 1 – Huygens’ Principle and Interference vii

What’s New 1
What Is It 2
What’s More 3

Lesson 2 – Two – Source interference of Light 6

What’s New 6
What Is It 7
What’s More 9

Lesson 3 – Diffraction 9

What Is It 9
What’s More 9

Assessment (Post-assessment) 10

Answer Key 11
References 12
What This Module is About
Introductory Message

Welcome to the General Physics 2 – 12 Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on

Interference and Diffraction

This module was collaboratively designed, developed, and reviewed by educators from
public schools to assist you, the teacher or facilitator, the parents, and the learners, in helping
them meet the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming their personal, social,
and economic constraints in schooling.

For the facilitator:

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use this module. You
also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing them to manage their own
learning. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and assist the learners as they do the
tasks included in this module.

For the parents:

As vital partners in education, your support to your children’s learning at home is a

great factor to ensure that they will become successful in what they do. As a parent, you are
expected to monitor your child’s progress while they are accomplishing the tasks in this
module, at the same time, ensuring that they learn independently.

The objectives set for this learning material will be certainly accomplished with your
steadfast guidance and support.

For the learner:

This learning resource hopes to engage the learners into guided and independent
learning activities at their own pace and time. Furthermore, this also aims to help learners
acquire the needed 21st century skills while taking into consideration their needs and
circumstances.

Furthermore, it is our objective that you will have fun while going through this material.
Take charge of your learning pace and in no time, you will successfully meet the targets and
objectives set in this module which are intended for your ultimate development as a learner
and as a person.
How to Learn from this Module
This module has the following parts and corresponding icons:

This part contains learning objectives that are

What I Need to Know
set for you to learn as you go along the module.
 This is an assessment as to your level of
What I Know knowledge to the subject matter at hand, meant
specifically to gauge prior related knowledge.

This part connects previous lesson with that of

What’s In
the current one.

This part is an introduction of the new lesson

What’s New through various activities, before it will be
presented to you.
These are discussions of the activities as a way
What is It to deepen your discovery and understanding of
the concept.
These are follow-up activities that are intended
What’s More for you to practice further in order to master the
competencies.

These are activities designed to process what

What I Have Learned
you have learned from the lesson.

These are tasks that are designed to showcase

What I Can Do your skills and knowledge gained, and applied
into real-life concerns and situations.
This is a task which aims to evaluate your level
Assessment of mastery in achieving the learning
competency.
In this portion, another activity will be given to
you to enrich your knowledge or skill of the
Additional Activities
lesson learned. This also tends retention of
learned concepts.
This contains answers to all activities in the
Answer Key
module.

The following are some reminders in using this module:

1. Use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part of the module.
Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer What I Know before moving on to the other activities included
in the module.
3. Read the instructions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are through with it.
7. If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module, do not hesitate to
consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that you are not alone.
8. We hope that through this material, you will experience meaningful learning and gain
deep understanding of the relevant competencies. You can do it.
 What I Need To Know

This module talks about current and its relationship to other parameters such as charge
and time. It also talks about the resistivity of materials and how these are affected by
temperature. This module will be teaching you conductivity and how a material is able to
conduct current in terms of resistivity and conductivity.
The module is divided into lessons, namely:
• Lesson 1 – Huygens’ Principle and Interference
• Lesson 2 – Two – Source Interference of Light
• Lesson 3 – Diffraction
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. Determine the conditions (superposition, path and phase difference, polarization,
amplitude) for interference to occur emphasizing the properties of a laser as a monochromatic
and coherent light source (STEM_GP12OPTIVf- 32)

2. Relate the geometry of the two-slit experiment set up (slit separation, and screen-to-
slit distance) and properties of light (wavelength) to the properties of the interference pattern
(width, location, and intensity) (STEM_GP12OPTIVf- 33)

3. Relate the geometry of the diffraction experiment setup (slit size, and screen- to-slit
distance) and properties of light (wavelength) to the properties of the diffraction pattern (width,
location, and intensity of the fringes) (STEM_GP12OPTIVf-35)

What I Know

Multiple Choice. Answer the question that follows. Choose the best answer from the given
choices.
1. Which of the following describes Huygens’ Principle?
a. Every point on a wavefront acts as a source of lots of secondary spherical wavelets, which
can therefore interfere with each other.
b. A wave can produce an interference pattern.
c. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
d. The speed of light is constant in every direction.
2. What is a monochromatic wave?
a. A wave of a single frequency
b. A wave of double frequency
c. A wave of half frequency
d. A wave of ¾ frequency
3. What are the two type of interference wave?
a. diffraction and construction
b. construction and diffuser
c. constructive and destructive
d. destructive and diffraction
4. From the double-slit, what are the quantities should be measured?
a. Slit separation c. slit-to-screen separation
b. Fringe separation d. all of the above
5. What do you call the interference pattern of light and dark bands on the screen?
a. Graphical pattern c. light spectrum
b. Line spectrum d. fringes
 Lesson
Huygens’ Principle and Interference
1

What’s New

Wave interference occurs when two or more waves exist simultaneously at the sameplace. Light is an electromagnetic wave
and, therefore, can exhibit interference effects. Theinterference of light waves is responsible for the lovely iridescent colors of
the feathers onthis purple-crested turaco from South Africa. (© Adapted from Physics by Cutnell, Heinrich van den Berg/Gallo
Images/Getty Images, Inc.)

What is It
Huygen’s Principle states that every point of the wavefront is that the source of the secondary
wavelets which spread out in all direction with the speed of a wave. So if we consider some
extent source, it'll emit its wavefront and nature of the wavefront are going to be spherical one.

.In the Huygen’s principle, all the points on the wavefront are going to become a secondary
source. So the wavefronts will in the forward direction. All
the secondary sources emit wavelets. Tangent drawn to all
or any the wavelets is that the new position of the
waveform.

Supposed you’re standing on the mountain and you throw

a stone within the water from a height. What did you
observe as you throw the stoned in the water? You see
that the stone strikes the surface of the water and waves
are seen surrounding at that time.
Each point on the surface of water starts oscillating.
The waves spread in all the direction. Earlier the water was at rest. But the instant we throw
the stone within the water, within a couple of fractions of seconds the disturbance spreads in
all directions. There are ripples formed in the water. The ripples form the concentric revolve
around the disturbance and spread out.

These ripples are nothing but the wavefront. The wavefronts gradually spread in all the
directions. So at all point, we have a wave coming out. The primary wavefront is made and
again from the primary wavefront, a secondary waveform is formed. The disturbance doesn't
last for an extended time. . It fades gradually because more and more waveforms are formed

The pressure disturbance that occurs is adjusted by the principle of linear

superposition. According to this principle, the disturbance that occurs is the sum of the
disturbances of each wave. Light is also a wave, an electromagnetic wave, and it also follows
the principle of superposition. When multiple light waves pass through a certain point, their
electric fields merge according to the principle of linear superposition and produce the final
electric field.

Interference
Interference of light occur when two light sources superpose to the resultant higher,
lower, or the same amplitude. There are two types of interference, constructive and destructive
interference.
When two identical waves (with the same wavelength and amplitude) reach phase P, that is,
crest-to-crest and trough-to-trough constructive interference takes place.
Constructive interference occur when two waves that are in-phase interact having the
resultant amplitude higher. Say, when crest meets crest or trough meets trough.

Figure 1. Crest meets crest (Samonte, 2021)

Two crests approaches each other in Fig.1. Wave A is moving to the right and wave B to the
left. When the two waves met, they interact, adding their amplitudes to form higher amplitude
in Fig. 2.

Figure 2. Constructive interference (Samonte, 2021)

After the interference, wave A continue to move to the right and wave continue to move to the
left, as if nothing happens (Fig. 3).
 Figure 3 and 4 (Samonte, 2021)

Figure 5 and 6 (Samonte, 2021)

Figure 7 The waves emitted by source 1 and source 2 start out in phase and arrive at point P in phase, leading to
constructive interference at that point. (Cutnell & Johnson, 2012)
Destructive interference occur when two waves that are out-of-phase interact resulting to a
decrease or zero amplitude. This will be done when a crest meets a trough.

(Samonte, 2021)
When a crest meets a trough (Fig. 8), they cancel out each other resulting from a destructive
interference. The resulting amplitude is lower or zero (Fig.9)

Figure 9 and 10 (Samonte, 2021)

Figure 11 The waves emitted by the two sources have the same phase to begin with, but they arrive at point P
out of phase. As a result, destructive interference occurs at P. (Cutnell & Johnson, 2012)
When waves are close, they will interfere constructively or destructively. To set up a stable
and clear interference pattern, two conditions must be met:
1. The sources of the waves must be coherent, which suggest that they emit identical
waves with a continuing phase difference.
2. The waves should be monochromatic - they ought to be of one wavelength.

For example, if two light bulbs are placed side by side there is no interference effect are
observed since the light waves of the bulbs are emitted independently of those from the other
light bulb so it does not meet the condition of the interference but if you place a single
frequency sound waves emitted by two side by side speaker driven by a single amplifier it can
interfere with each other because the two speakers are coherent-that is they respond to the
amplifier in the same way at the same time.

What’s More

ACTIVITY 4.1: Crossword Puzzle

1

2 4

Horizontal

2. It occurs when two waves add together and the result is a smaller displacement than
would have been the case
3. It is a Principle states that every point of the wavefront is that the source of the
secondary wavelets which spread out in all direction with the speed of a wave
5. A wave of a single frequency

Vertical
1. It is the highest surface part of a wave
4. It is when the two waves come close to one another, their effects add together
 Lesson
Two – Source Interference of Light
2

What is It

In 1801, British scientist Thomas Young (1773-1829) conducted a historical

experiment that showed the wave properties of light and showed that two superimposed light
waves can interfere with each other. His experiment was
particularly important because he can also determine the
wavelength of light. According to his measurements, this is
the first such definition of this important attribute. Figure 2.1
shows the setup of Young's experiment, where light of one
wavelength (monochromatic light) passes through a narrow
slit and falls on two narrow slits S1 and S2.

These two slits are used as coherent light wave sources,

and constructively and destructively interfere at different
points on the screen, thereby forming a pattern of
alternating bright and dark stripes. The single slit is
designed to ensure that light only enters the double slit from
one direction. Without it, the light from different points of the
light source will hit the double gap from different directions,
thereby making the pattern on the screen disappear. The
slits S1 and S2 are used as coherent light wave sources
because the light from each of them is emitted from them.
Main source-That is, a slit.

(Cutnell & Johnson, 2012)

Figure 2.2 Light coming from a single source passes through slit, then two double slits. (Samonte, 2021)
In Young’s experiment, light from a monochromatic source falls on two slits, setting up an
interference pattern.

(Tippens, 2007)
Conditions for Bright Fringes Conditions for Dark Fringes
Bright Fringes occur when the difference in Dark Fringes occur when the difference path
path is an integral multiple of one wave is an odd multiple of one-half of a
length. wavelength.

(Tippens, 2007) (Tippens, 2007)

For two slits separated by a distance d, and emitting light at a specific wavelength, light will
constructively interfere at certain angles. These angles are found by applying the condition for
constructive interference, which in this case becomes:
Bright fringes:

𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛Θ = 𝑚𝜆 𝑚 = 0,1,2,3, ….

The angles at which dark fringes occur can be found be applying the condition for destructive
interference:
1
Dark fringes: 𝑑𝑠𝑖𝑛Θ = (𝑚 + 2)𝜆 𝑚 = 0,1,2,3, ….

The position of the bright and dark fringes

;
Sample Problem:

1. A light source emits visible light of two wavelengths: λ = 430 nm and λ’= 510 nm. The
source is used in a double-slit interference experiment in which L=1.50m and d= 0.0250 mm.
find the separation distance between the third- order bright fringes.

What’s More
A. Direction: Solve the following problems. Show your complete solutions legibly and
concisely in a separate sheet of paper.

1. A viewing screen is separated from a double-slit source by 1.3 meter. The distance
between the two slits is 0.020 mm. The second-order bright fringe (m = 2) is 2.5 cm from the
center line. (a) Determine the wavelength of the light and (b) Calculate the distance between
adjacent bright fringes

2. A light source emits visible light of two wavelengths: λ = 400 nm and λ’ = 500 nm. The
source is used in a double-slit interference experiment in which L = 1.2 m and d = 0.030 mm.
Find the separation between the third- order bright fringes.
 Lesson
Diffraction
3

What is It

Diffraction is an interference effect, and the Dutch scientist Christian Huygens (1629–
1695) developed a principle that is useful in explaining why diffraction arises. Huygens’
Principle describes how a wave front that exists at one instant gives rise to the wave front that
exists later on. This principle states that:

Every point on a wave front acts as a source of tiny wavelets that move forward with
the same speed as the wave; the wave front at a later instant is the surface that is
tangent to the wavelets.

Diffracted light can produce fringes of light, dark or colored bands. Study and analyze the
figure below.

Figure 3.1 (Samonte, 2021)

As the straight waves approaches the barrier with a small slit, most of the waves is blocked
and absorbed by the barrier, but some waves pass through the slit and spread out as it comes
out from the slit. The waves diffract (Fig. 12). The smaller the slit or opening the more it diffract
or bend. Diffraction occur when the size the slit or opening is comparable or less than the
wavelength of the wave. As the slit width is made narrower, the amount of spreading
increases.
 Assessment

Multiple Choice. Answer the question that follows. Choose the best answer from the given
choices.
1. Which of the following describes Huygens’ Principle?
a. Every point on a wavefront acts as a source of lots of secondary spherical wavelets, which
can therefore interfere with each other.
b. A wave can produce an interference pattern.
c. The angle of incidence is equal to the angle of reflection.
d. The speed of light is constant in every direction.
2. What is a monochromatic wave?
a. A wave of a single frequency
b. A wave of double frequency
c. A wave of half frequency
d. A wave of ¾ frequency
3. What are the two type of interference wave?
a. diffraction and construction
b. construction and diffuser
c. constructive and destructive
d. destructive and diffraction
4. From the double-slit, what are the quantities should be measured?
a. Slit separation c. slit-to-screen separation
b. Fringe separation d. all of the above
5. What do you call the interference pattern of light and dark bands on the screen?
a. Graphical pattern c. light spectrum
b. Line spectrum d. fringes
References
Cutnell, J. D., & Johnson, K. W. (2012). Physics 9th Edition. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ:
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Samonte, V. P. (2021). General Physics 2 Grade 12 Quarter 4 – Week 6 – Module 6 –
Interference and Diffraction. La Union: SDO La Union, Learning Resource Quality
Assurance Team.
Tippens, P. E. (2007). Chapter 37 - Interference and Diffraction. Southern Polytechnic State
University.
Blossom Jane M. Bañares (2020). Interference and Diffraction. In General Physics 2 ADM
Cagayan de Oro: Department of Education - Division of CDO.
Esguerra, J. P., Rommel, B., Jo-Ann, C., Magali, Keith, J., Agapito, K., & Roxas-Villanueva,
R. M. (2016). Teaching Guide for Senior High School General Physics 1. C.P. Garcia
Ave., Diliman, Quezon City: Commission on Higher Education.
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