OPTICS

Electromagnetic Spectrum
Reflection
Refraction
Interference O f Light

ARYAN I SEWABUGA I SRISTI I SAMYUKTA I AYUSHI I ESHITA I MAYANK

 OPTICS
Optics is the branch of physics that studies the behaviour and
properties of electromagnetic waves, including its interactions
with matter and the construction of instruments that use or
detect it.
01 EM WAVES
Electromagnetic waves or EM waves are waves
that are created as a result of vibrations
between an electric field and a magnetic field
(mutually perpendicular to each other).
➢ Electric and magnetic waves are mutually perpendicular to each other.

➢ Electric field here exists on the (y,z) plane and magnetic field exists on the (x,z) plane henceforth they are
both mutually perpendicular to each other.

➢ Time varying magnetic field produces a time varying electric field and vice versa.

➢ One sustains the other, magnetic field sustains electric field and vice versa.

➢ The cause / source of electromagnetic waves are accelerating charged particle.

➢ Charge at rest causes formation of electric field and charge with constant velocity causes formation of
electric field and magnetic field but not ELECTROMAGNETIC waves, they are only formed when charge has
acceleration.
 ELECTROMAGNETIC
SPECTRUM

The orderly distribution of electromagnetic waves in accordance with

their wavelength or frequency into distinct groups having widely
differing properties is called EM spectrum.
EM
SPECTRUM
Properties of EM waves

➢ Electric field (E vector) is perpendicular to Magnetic field wave (B vector).

➢ Direction of electromagnetic wave is given by the cross product of vector of
electric field and vector of magnetic field.
➢ EM waves do not require a medium to propagate.
➢ EM waves carry energy as well as momentum.
➢ They are transverse in nature.
➢ EM waves can get polarized.
 1. RADIO WAVES
➢ Radio waves have the longest
wavelength with the minimum
frequency.
Different types
of EM waves ➢ Frequency Range: 104 – 108 Hz
on EM spectrum ➢ Wavelength Range: > 0.1m

➢ Uses:
• Radio & T.V. Communication
• Radio astronomy
2. MICRO WAVES:
➢ Smaller frequency than radio waves.
➢ Frequency range: 109 – 1010 Hz
➢ Wavelength range: 0.1m – 1mm
➢ Uses :
• RADAR for aircrafts.
• Long distance communication via
geostationary satellite.
• In microwave ovens.

3. INFRARED WAVES:
➢ Low frequency
➢ Infrared waves have longer wavelengths than visible light and can pass through dense regions of gas
and dust in space with less scattering and absorption.
➢ Produce heating effect.
➢ Also called heat waves or thermal radiation.
➢ Uses:
• Remote control of TV or VC • Haze photography
• Green houses • Molecular structure readings
➢ Frequency Range: 1011- 5 X 1014 Hz
➢ Wavelength Range: 1mm – 700nm

4. VISIBLE LIGHT:
➢ Very small part of the E.M. Spectrum towards which human retina is sensitive towards.
➢ Frequency range: 4 x 1014 – 7 x 1014 Hz
➢ Wavelength range: 700 nm – 400 nm
➢ Uses:
• Provides information of the world.
• Helps in causing chemical reactions.

5. ULTRAVIOLET:
➢ Wavelengths just shorter than visible light.
➢ Frequency range: 1016 – 1017
➢ Wavelength range: 400 nm – 1 mm
➢ Uses:
• Food preservation
• Study of forged documents, invisible writing and
fingerprints
• Molecular structurestudy
6. X – RAYS :
➢ Wavelengths just shorter than UV lights
➢ Uses: Medical diagnosis- 1) Can pass through flesh but not through bones. 2) Can highlight fractures.
➢ Helps in study of crystal structures
➢ In engineering for detecting cracks, faults etc.
➢ In forensics helps in detecting explosives, other contraband items.
➢ In radiotherapy to cure untraceable skin diseases and malignant growths.
➢ Frequency range: 1016 – 1019
➢ Wavelength range: 1nm – 10-3nm

7. GAMMA RAYS :
➢ Radiations of highest frequency range and lowest wavelength.
➢ Uses: In radiotherapy for malignant tumors.
➢ To manufacture polyethene from ethylene.
➢ To initiate nuclear reactions.
➢ To preserve food stuffs for a long time since gamma rays can kill microbes.
➢ To study structure of atomic nuclei.
Frequency range: 1018 – 1022 Hz
➢ Wavelength range: < 10-3nm
 REN
02 REFLECTION
Reflection of light is the process where light
rays bounce back upon striking a smooth
and shiny surface.
Some terminologies used in reflection of light –

➢ Normal: A perpendicular drawn to the reflecting surface at

point M (known as the point of incidence) is called the normal
to the reflecting surface.

➢ Incident Ray: A ray of light that falls on the reflecting surface

from a light sourceor an object is called the incident ray.

➢ Reflected Ray: A ray of light that arises from the reflecting

surface after reflection from it is called a reflected ray.

➢ The angle of Incidence: The angle between the incident ray

and normal to the point of incidence on the reflecting surface
is known as the incident angle or angle of incidence. It is
denoted by ∠i.

➢ The angle of Reflection: The angle between the reflected ray

and the normal to the point of incidence on the reflecting
surface is known as the angle of reflection. It is denoted by ∠r.
Laws of Reflection
➢ The incident ray, the reflected
ray, and the normal all lie on the
same plane at the point of
incidence.
➢ The angle of incidence (∠i) is
always equal to the angle of
reflection (∠r).
i.e. ∠i= ∠r
 TYPES OF
REFLECTION

REGULAR IRREGULAR
REFLECTION REFLECTION

PLANE CURVED
SURFACES SURFACES
Types of reflection
Regular reflection -When light bounces off a shiny surface and creates a clear and
well-defined reflection, it is called a regular reflection.
• On plane surfaces like plane mirrors.
• On curved surfaces like convex and concave mirrors
Diffused/ irregular reflection-

When compared between sites on such uneven surfaces, the angle of reflection is completely random.
When light rays strike rough surfaces, they are reflected in different directions, even when they hit
slightly different spots on the surface. Non-shiny objects can be perceived due to a type of reflection
known as diffused reflection.
03 REFRACTION
It is the bending of light as it passes from
one medium to another with different
optical density.
Laws of Refractions

➢ The incident ray, refracted ray and normal all lie in the same plane at the
point of incidence

➢ Sin i / sin r = constant ( for a particular medium ). Also known as SNELL’S

LAW
DIAGRAM EXPLANATION:

➢ Angle i - incident angle

➢ Angle i’ - second incident ray, which is
basically a refracted ray which acts as incident
ray.
➢ Angle r- reflective angle
➢ Angle i = angle r
➢ Angle r’- refractive angle
➢ Angle e- emergent angle
➢ Normal- imaginary line at 90 degree to the
surface
➢ Lateral displacement- distance between initial
incident ray and emergent ray. Both of them
are parallel to each other.
REFRACTIVE INDEX:

It is a value calculated from the ratio of speed of light in vacuum to

that in a second medium.
Formula: µ = c/v

REFRACTIVE INDEX OF SOME SUBSTANCE:

Substance Refractive index
Air 1.00
Water 1.33
Glass 1.5
AMOUNT OF BENDING DEPENDS ON:

➢ On the material

➢ Angle of incident ray

DURING REFRACTION:
➢ WAVELENGHT:

Changes as it depends on the medium.

Refractive Index: µ = C/V __(1)

Wave speed eq. : V = fλ __(2)

From (1) and (2): µ = C/ fλ

µ ∝ 1/λ
➢ SPEED

Changes as it depends on the medium.

n ∝ 1/v

➢ FREQUENCY

Remains same as it depends on the source.

APPLICATIONS
This bending by refraction makes it possible for us to have lenses, magnifying
glasses, prisms and rainbow.
Even our eyes depends upon this bending of light.

LENSES:
➢ A lens is simply curved block of glass or plastic.
➢ There is two types:
• Biconvex lens
• Biconcave lens
Biconvex lens:

➢ Thicker at middle and thin at

edges.

➢ Parallel rays of light can be

focused in to a focal point.

➢ This is the kind of lens used for a

magnifying glass.

➢ A biconvex lens is called a

converging lens.
Biconcave lens:

➢ Thin at middle and thick at

edge.

➢ Known as diverging lens.

➢ Refractions cause parallel light

rays to spread out, travelling
directly away from an
imaginary focal point.
 REFRACTION CAN CREATE A SPECTRUM

Isaac Newton performed this experiment

➢ Used prism and sunlight as a source of light.

➢ RESULT:
White light is combined form of seven Colors.
➢ These seven colors are remembered by the acronym VIBGYOR – red, orange, yellow,
green, blue, indigo and violet.
➢ Each color refracts at a slightly different angle.
CONCLUSION:

➢ The explanation for the colors separating out is that the light is made of waves.

➢ Red light has a longer wavelength than violet light so shorter wavelengths of
light is refracted more.

➢ Violet light slows down even more than red light, so it is refracted at a slightly
greater angle.

➢ The refractive index of red light in glass is 1.513

➢ The refractive index of violet light is 1.532.

TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECTION

➢ When light passes from a denser medium to a rarer medium then at the interface of the
two medium then one part of the light reflects back into the denser medium and the other
part passes through the rarer medium.
➢ When the angle of incidence is gradually increased then the angle of refraction also
increases and at a particular angle of incidence the angle of refraction becomes 90
degrees. This angle of incidence in the denser medium is known as critical angle (ic).
➢ When the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle then the light ray will reflect
completely back into the denser medium this phenomenon is known as total internal
reflection.
Necessary conditions for Total internal reflection:
• Light must travel from denser to rare medium.
• Angle of incidence must be greater than critical angle.
 INTERFERENCE
Interference of light is the phenomena of multiple light waves
interacting with one another under certain circumstances,
causing the combined amplitudes of the waves to either
increase or decrease.
INTERFERENCE OF LIGHT WAVES:
DIFFRACTION

Diffraction is the process of

light bending around an
obstacle or spreading out
after it moves through a
small space.
YOUNG DOUBLE SPLIT EXPERIMENT
 Coherent source:

The source which emits a light wave

with the same frequency,
wavelength, and phase is known as
a coherent source.

Incoherent source:

An incoherent source emits a

light wave having a different
frequency, wavelength, and phase.
This experiment was first performed by Thomas
Young in 1801, as a demonstration of the wave
behavior of visible light.

At that time it was thought that light consisted of

either waves or particles.

With the beginning of modern physics, about a

hundred years later, it was realized that light
could in fact
show both wave and particle
characteristics.
APPROXIMATION

In Young’s double slit experiment

• Approximation 1:D > > d: Since D > > d, the two light rays are assumed
to be parallel.

• Approximation 2: d/λ >> 1: Often, d is a fraction of a millimeter, and λ is

a fraction of a micrometer for visible light.
 Under these conditions, θ is small. Thus, we can use
the approximation sin θ = tan θ ≈ θ .

This is the path difference between two waves meeting

at a point on the screen. Due to this path difference in
Young’s double slit experiment, some points on the
screen are bright, and some points are dark.
 DERIVATION OF YOUNG’S DOUBLE SLIT
EXPERIMENT
Consider a monochromatic light source ‘S’ kept at a
considerable distance from two slits: s1 and s2. S is
equidistant from s1 and s2. s1 and s2 behave as two coherent
sources as both are derived from S.

The light passes through these slits and falls on a screen which
is at a distance ‘D’ from the position of slits s1 and s2. ‘d’ is
the separation between two slits.
Position of Fringes in Young’s Double Slit Experiment
Position of Bright Fringes

For maximum intensity or bright fringe to be formed at P,

Path difference, Δz = nλ (n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . . .)
i.e., xd/D = nλ
or
x = nλD/d
The distance of the nth bright fringe from the centre is
xn = nλD/d
Similarly, the distance of the (n-1)th bright fringe from the centre is
x (n-1)= (n -1)λD/d
Fringe width, β = xn – x (n-1) = nλD/d – (n -1)λD/d = λD/d
(n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . . .)
 Position of Dark Fringes
For minimum intensity or dark fringe to be
formed at P, Path difference, Δz = (2n + 1)
(λ/2) (n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . . .) i.e., x = (2n +1)λD/2d
The distance of the nth dark fringe from the centre is
xn = (2n+1)λD/2d

Similarly, the distance of the (n-1)th bright fringe from the centre is
x (n-1)= (2(n-1) +1)λD/2d
Fringe width, β = xn – x (n-1) = (2n + 1) λD/2d – (2(n -1) + 1)λD/2d
= λD/d
(n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . . .)
THE INTENSITY OF FRINGES IN YOUNG’S
DOUBLE SLIT EXPERIMENT:
For two coherent sources, s1 and s2, the resultant intensity at point p is given by

I = I1 + I2 + 2 √(I1 . I2) cos φ

Putting I1 = I2 = I0
I = I0 + I0 + 2 √(I0.I0) cos φ
I = 2I0 + 2 (I0) cos φ
I = 2I0 (1 + cos φ)
I = 4Io cos^2(phi/2)
QUESTIONS
Ques 1. A star appears slightly higher (above) than its actual position in the sky, why?

Ques 2. Which of the following phenomena are the main causes of dispersion?

Ques3. In Young’s Double Slit Experiment, if instead of monochromatic light white light is used, what
would be the observation?
a) The pattern will not be visible
b) The shape of the pattern will change from hyperbolic to circular
c) Colored fringes will be observed with a white bright fringe at the center
d) The bright and dark fringes will change position
Ques 4. If the distance between the two slits is doubled, the fringe width
a) Doubles
b) Halves
c) Four-times
d) Remains same

Ques 5. Reflection is the reason for the ability to observe most illuminated
surfaces from any angle.

Ques 6. If a ray of light propagates from a rarer to a denser medium, how does its
frequency change?
 ANSWERS
ANSWER 1: Due to atmospheric refraction, the stars seem to be higher in the sky than the
actual. Due to continuous refraction Light from a star is refracted as it leaves space and
enters the earth's atmosphere. Air higher up in the sky is rarer but that nearer the earth's
surface is denser. When the light from a star comes down, the dense air bends the light
more.

ANSWER 2:
The dispersion depends on refraction because the angle of refraction differs for different
wavelengths of white light, while the angle of reflection is the same for all the
wavelengths of white light.
THANK
YOU