List of Formulas for FAT

Modern Physics (PHY1008)

Module-I (Interference)

Topic: Intensity distribution

1. Resultant intensity due to superposition of two light waves:

p
I = I1 + I2 + 2 I1 I2 cosδ

where
2π
δ= × Path Difference
λ
2. Relation between amplitude and intensity:

I = ka2

Topic: Young’s double-slit

1. Fringe width in Young’s double-slit experiment:

λD
β=
d

2. Position of ‘n’th order maximum (bright fringe) in Young’s double-slit experi-

ment:
nλD
yn =
d
3. Position of ‘n’th order minimum (dark fringe) in Young’s double-slit experiment:
(n + 12 )λD
yn =
d

Topic: Thin Film

1. Snell’s law:
n1 sini = n2 sinr

2. Condition for ‘n’th order bright fringe for a thin film of refractive index µ kept
on a medium of refractive index ν with µ > ν:
λ
2µtcosr = (2n + 1)
2
3. Condition for ‘n’th order dark fringe for a thin film of refractive index µ kept
on a medium of refractive index ν with µ > ν:

2µtcosr = nλ

4. Condition for ‘n’th order bright fringe for a thin film of refractive index µ kept
on a medium of refractive index ν with µ < ν:

2µtcosr = nλ

5. Condition for ‘n’th order dark fringe for a thin film of refractive index µ kept
on a medium of refractive index ν with µ < ν:
λ
2µtcosr = (2n + 1)
2

Topic: Newton’s ring

1. Diameter of ‘n’th order dark ring in Newton’s ring experiment,

√
Dn = 4nRλ

2. Diameter of ‘n’th order bright ring in Newton’s ring experiment,

r
1
Dn = 4(n + )Rλ
2

3. The thickness of the air film at the ‘n’th order dark ring:

2t = nλ

4. Wavelength of light in Newton’s ring experiment,

2
Dn+m − Dn2
λ=
4mR

5. Diameter of ‘n’th order dark ring for a film of liquid with refractive index µ:
s
4nRλ
Dn =
µ

6. Refractive index of a liquid in a Newton’s ring experiment:

2
(Dn+m )air − (Dn2 )air
µ= 2
(Dn+m )liq − (Dn2 )liq
 Module-II (Diffraction)

Topic: Single-slit diffraction

1. Condition for ‘m’th-order diffraction minimum through a single-slit:

asinθ = mλ

Topic: Diffraction grating:

1. Condition for ‘n’-th order maximum due to a plane diffraction grating:

dsinθ = nλ
W
where, d = N
.

2. Maximum-order that can be seen by a grating:

d
nmax =
λ

3. Minimum resolving power required to resolve two wavelengths λ1 and λ2 (with

λ2 > λ1 )
λ
R=
dλ
where λ = λ1 +λ
2
2
and dλ = λ2 − λ1

4. Resolving power of a grating:

R = nN

5. A grating can just resolve two wavelengths with average λ and difference dλ
when
λ
R= = nN
dλ

Topic: Resolving power of a telescope

1. Angular limit of resolution for a telescope with lens diameter ‘a’:

1.22λ
θmin =
a

2. Linear limit of resolution of a telescope:

1.22λD
xmin = Dθmin =
a
3. Resolving power of a telescope:
1 a
R= =
θmin 1.22λ

Module-III (Quantum Mechanics)

Topic: de-Broglie wavelength

1. de-Broglie wavelength for any particle:

h
λ=
mv

2. de-Broglie wavelength of a particle having kinetic energy E:

h
λ= √
2mE

3. de-Broglie wavelength of an electron accelerated by potential difference of V

volts:
12.26
λ = √ Å
V
4. de-Broglie wavelength of a charge particle (with charge ‘q’) accelerated by po-
tential difference of V volts:
h
λ= √
2mqV
5. Rest mass energy of a particle of mass ‘m’:

E = mc2

Topic: Group velocity and Phase velocity

1. Phase velocity and group velocity of a group of waves:

w
vp = ,
k
and
dw
vg =
dk
2. Relationship between group and phase velocity:
dvp
vg = vp − λ
dλ
3. If v is the velocity of a particle then

vg = v

Topic: Uncertainty principle

1. Uncertainty relation between position and momentum:

h̄
∆x∆px =
2

2. Uncertainty relation between energy and time:

h̄
∆E∆t =
2

Topic: One dimensional potential box

1. Energy of a particle confined to a one-dimensional box of length L:

n2 h2
E = En =
8mL2

2. Wavelength of emitted/absorbed light due to transition between two states with

quantum no. ‘p’ and ‘q’:

p2 h2 q 2 h2 hc
|Ep − Eq | = 2
− 2
=
8mL 8mL λ

3. Wavefunction of a particle confined to a one dimensional potential box of length

L: r
2 nπx
ψ(x) = ψn (x) = sin
L L
 Module-IV (Semiconductors)

Topic: Current density and mobility

1. Current density:
I
J=
A
A is the cross sectional area.

2. Current density of electrons in an n-type semiconductor:

J = envd

3. Current density of holes in a p-type semiconductor:

J = epvd

4. Definition of mobility:
vd
µ=
E

Topic: Conductivity and resistivity of a semiconductor

1. Conductivity of any semiconductor (intrinsic or extrinsic):

σ = enµe + epµh

2. Conductivity of an intrinsic semiconductor:

σi = eni (µe + µh )

3. Conductivity of an n-type semiconductor:

σ = enµe ≈ eNd µe

4. Conductivity of a p-type semiconductor

σ = epµh ≈ eNa µh

5. Relationship between resistivity and conductivity:

1
ρ=
σ

6. Resistance of a material of length l and cross-sectional area A:

l
R=ρ
A
 Topic: Temperature dependence of intrinsic carrier concentration

1. Effective density of states in the conduction band:

3/2
2πm∗e kT

NC = 2
h2

2. Effective density of states in the valence band:

3/2
2πm∗h kT

NV = 2
h2

3. Intrinsic carrier concentration:

Eg
ni = (NC NV )1/2 e− 2kT

Topic-13: Position of Fermi level with respect to conduction band and

valence band

1. Concentration or density of electrons in a semiconductor:

EC −EF
n = NC e− kT

2. Concentration or density of holes in a semiconductor:

EF −EV
p = NV e− kT

3. If n is the concentration of electrons and p is the concentration of holes in any

semiconductor (intrinsic or extrinsic) then

n2i = np

Topic: PN Junction diode, Solar cell and LED

1. Built-in barrier potential of a PN-junction diode (zero bias):

Na Nd
Vbi = Vt ln
n2i
kT
where Vt = e
.
2. Fill factor for a solar cell:
(V I)max
FF =
VOC ISC
3. Efficiency of a solar cell:
Maximum electrical power delivered (V I)max
η= =
Solar power incident Pi
4. Wavelength of emission from a LED:
hc
λ=
Eg

Module-V (Magnetic Materials)

Topic: Magnetic parameters

1. Magnetic susceptibility:
−
→
M
χ= →
−
H
2. Relative permeability:
µ
µr =
µ0
3. Relationship between relative permeability and magnetic susceptibility:

µr = 1 + χ

4. Magnetic induction or magnetic flux density:

→
− →
− − →
B = µ0 ( H + M )

Topic: Current carrying loop

1. Relation between magnetic flux and flux density:

→
− φ
B = k̂
A

2. Magnetic moment due to a current carrying loop with N no. of turns:

→
−
µ = N IAk̂
e
where I = T

3. Magnetic field at the centre of a circular current carrying loop with N no. of
turns:
→
− µ0 N I
B = k̂
2r
where I = Te
 Topic: Temperature dependence of paramagnetic susceptibility

1. Temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility for a paramagnetic sub-

stance:
C
χ=
T

Topic: Saturation Magnetization of a paramagnetic and ferromagnetic

material

1. Saturation magnetization of a ferromagnetic material:

Ms = xµB nat

where nat can be calculated by

ρnAv
nat =
MAt
ρ is the mass density of the material. nAv is the Avogadro’s number. MAt is
the mass number of the atom.