Questions

1. What does it mean if two waves are coherent?

2. Distinguish between the terms ‘in phase’ and ‘out of phase’.
3. With respect to the double slit experiment, explain what causes a bright fringe and
what causes a dark fringe. Make sure you refer to the path difference of the two
waves in your answer.
4. State and label the equation for calculating bright fringe separation. Include a
labelled diagram to illustrate what each variable represents.
5. Describe the effect on fringe separation of the following:
a. Increasing the wavelength
b. Increasing the distance from the slits to the screen
c. Increasing the distance between the slits
6. Light of an unknown wavelength emitted by a laser is directed through a pair of thin
slits that are 50 µm apart. The slits are 2.0 m from a screen on which bright
fringes are 2.5 cm apart. Calculate the wavelength of the laser light in nm.
7. Green laser light is directed through a pair of thin slits that are 25 µm apart. The
slits are 1.5 m from a screen on which bright fringes are 3.3 cm apart. Calculate
the wavelength of the green laser light in nm.
8. The distance between the central bright line and the next bright line on a screen
which is 50 cm from a double slit barrier is 1.5 x 10-4 m. If the slits are 0.2 mm
apart, what is the wavelength (in nm) of the incident light?
9. The distance between the central bright line and the next bright line on a screen
which is 75 cm from a double slit barrier is 1.5 x 10-4 m. The wavelength of the
incident light is 350 nm. What is the distance between the two slits?
10. The slits in a double slit experiment are 0.3 mm apart. Light of frequency 6 x 10 14
Hz is incident on the slit barrier. What is the distance between the central bright
line and the next bright line on a screen which is 80 cm from the double slit
barrier?