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#physics problem

1318 public questions tagged with this topic.

What is the path difference for the sixth dark fringe in a double-slit experiment?

**Incoherent sources** intensity adds I = I₁+I₂, no interference pattern because phase random, two independent sources cannot produce stable interference because phase difference fluctuates rapidly, coherent sources required with constant phase, laser coherent, visibility of fringes requires coherence, degree of coherence determines contrast. Destructive interference occurs at Δ = (n + (1/2))λ . For the sixth dark fringe, n = 5 , Δ = (5 + (1/2))λ = (11λ/2) . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ' = λ/n and A = 2a cos(φ/2), calculation gives

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Optical Phenomena and Applications

What is the path difference for the fifth dark fringe in a double-slit experiment?

**Wave model predicts** light bends away from normal when entering rarer medium because speed increases, Snell's law n₁ sinθ₁ = n₂ sinθ₂, n₁>n₂ so sinθ₂>sinθ₁ θ₂>θ₁ away from normal, towards normal when denser, wavefront slows in denser, Huygens construction shows bending. Destructive interference occurs at Δ = (n + (1/2))λ . For the fifth dark fringe, n = 4 , Δ = (4 + (1/2))λ = (9λ/2) . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ' = λ/n and A = 2a cos(φ/2), calculation gives (9λ/2), illustrating interference, diffraction and polarization principles.

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Wave Properties, Frequency and Energy Conservation

What is the frequency of light with a wavelength of \( 600 \, \text{nm} \) in air, given the speed of light in air is \(

**Wave model predicts** light bends away from normal when entering rarer medium because speed increases, Snell's law n₁ sinθ₁ = n₂ sinθ₂, n₁>n₂ so sinθ₂>sinθ₁ θ₂>θ₁ away from normal, towards normal when denser, wavefront slows in denser, Huygens construction shows bending. Frequency nu = (c/λ) . λ = 600 nm = 6.0 × 10⁻⁷ m , c = 3.0 × 10⁸ m/s . nu = (3.0 × 10⁸/6.0 × 10⁻⁷) = 5.0 × 10¹⁴ Hz . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ' = λ/n and

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Wave Properties, Frequency and Energy Conservation

What is the angular position of the third minimum in a single-slit diffraction pattern if the slit width is \( 4.0 \, \m

**Wavefront types** point source spherical, distant point source plane, after convex lens plane wave focuses to point because lens adds phase delay proportional to thickness, converging spherical wavefront, after concave mirror plane wave becomes spherical converging to focus, illustrating Huygens construction. Minima occur at sin θ = (nλ/a) . For the third minimum, n = 3 . λ = 4.0 × 10⁻⁷ m , a = 4.0 × 10⁻⁶ m . sin θ = (3 × 4.0 × 10⁻⁷/4.0 × 10⁻⁶) = 0.3 , θ = sin⁻¹(0.3) ≈ 17.5° . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ,

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Wavefront and Huygens Principle

What is the critical angle for light passing from a medium with refractive index 1.9 to air (refractive index 1.0)?

**Critical angle** sinC = n₂/n₁, n₁ denser, n₂ rarer 1 for air, for C=36.9° n₁=1/sin36.9°=1/0.6=1.67, for C=39° n=1/sin39°=1/0.629=1.59, for n=1.85 C=arcsin(1/1.85)=arcsin0.5405=32.7°, total internal reflection occurs only when light travels from denser to rarer and incidence > C, because Snell's law would require sinθ₂>1 impossible. sin i_c = (n₂/n₁) , where n₁ = 1.9 , n₂ = 1.0 . sin i_c = (1.0/1.9) ≈ 0.526 , i_c = sin⁻¹(0.526) ≈ 31.8° . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ' = λ/n and A = 2a cos(φ/2), calculation

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Refraction, Refractive Index and Critical Angle

In a double-slit experiment, if \( \lambda = 580 \, \text{nm} \), \( d = 0.25 \, \text{mm} \), and \( D = 2.5 \, \text{m

**Interference** occurs when two coherent waves superpose, path difference Δ = d sinθ, bright fringe when Δ = n λ, n integer, seventh bright Δ=7λ, dark fringe Δ = (2n-1)λ/2, second dark Δ=3λ/2, third dark 5λ/2, sixth dark 11λ/2, distance of bright fringe from central y = n λ D/d, D screen distance, d slit separation, for λ=650 nm d=0.5 mm D=1.0 m fifth dark? Actually dark y=(2n-1)λ D/(2d). Fringe width β = (λ D/d) . λ = 5.8 × 10⁻⁷ m , d = 2.5 × 10⁻⁴ m , D = 2.5 m . β = (5.8 × 10⁻⁷ × 2.5/2.5 × 10⁻⁴) =

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Interference - Double-Slit and Coherence

What is the intensity of light after passing through two polaroids with pass-axes at \( 15^\circ \), if the initial unpo

**Two polaroids** with pass-axes perpendicular intensity zero because second blocks component, with 45° intensity I₀/4 if initial after first I₀, if initial unpolarized I₀, after first I₀/2 then after second at 45° I₀/4. Three polaroids first and third crossed 90°, middle at 45° maximum transmission because middle rotates polarization, I after first I₀/2, after middle at 45° I₀/4, after third at 45° to middle I₀/4×cos²45°= I₀/8, non-zero, maximum when middle 45°. After the first polaroid, I = (I₀/2) . After the second at 15° , I = (I₀/2) cos² 15° . cos 15° ≈ 0.966 , I = (I₀/2) × (0.966)² = (I₀

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Polarization and Malus Law

What is the resultant amplitude of two coherent waves of amplitude \( a \) with a phase difference of \( 5\pi \)?

**Phase difference** corresponding to path difference Δ, φ =2π Δ/λ, for Δ=5λ/8 φ=5π/4, for Δ=9λ/4 φ=9π/2, for Δ=λ path difference φ=2π constructive, but for destructive condition path difference λ can be destructive if one reflection introduces π phase shift, resultant amplitude zero when φ=(2n+1)π. Resultant amplitude A = 2a cos(Φ/2) . For Φ = 5π , A = 2a cos((5π/2)) = 2a × 0 = 0 . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ' = λ/n and A = 2a cos(φ/2), calculation gives 0, illustrating interference, diffraction and polarization principles.

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Superposition, Resultant Amplitude and Intensity

What is the intensity at a point in a double-slit experiment where the phase difference is \( \pi/4 \), if the maximum i

**Intensity at point** in double-slit I = I_max cos²(φ/2), φ = (2π/λ)Δ, for Δ=λ/4 φ=π/2 I= I_max cos²(π/4)= I_max/2 =2I₀, for Δ=λ/3 φ=2π/3 I= I_max cos²(π/3)= I_max×0.25= I₀, for Δ=5λ/8 φ=5π/4? Actually φ=2π×5/8=5π/4, cos²(5π/8)=?, path difference for destructive φ=(2n+1)π, constructive 2nπ. Intensity I = 4I₀ cos²(Φ/2) . For Φ = (π/4) , I = 4I₀ cos²((π/8)) , cos (π/8) ≈ 0.923 , I = 4I₀ × (0.923)² ≈ 4I₀ × 0.853 ≈ 3.41 I₀ . Closest option: 3I₀ (simplified for NEET). Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC =

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Superposition, Resultant Amplitude and Intensity

What is the wavelength of light in a medium with refractive index 1.6 if its wavelength in vacuum is \( 640 \, \text{nm}

**Refractive index** n = c/v, c=3×10⁸ m/s vacuum, v speed in medium, for v=2.25×10⁸ m/s n=3/2.25=1.33, for v=1.8×10⁸ n=1.67, for n=1.3 v=3×10⁸/1.3=2.31×10⁸ m/s, for n=1.6 v=1.875×10⁸ m/s, for n=1.2 λ_medium = λ_vacuum/n =600/1.2=500 nm, for n=1.75 λ=700/1.75=400 nm, for n=1.5 λ=750/1.5=500 nm, wavelength in medium λ' = λ/n. Wavelength in a medium λ_m = (λvₐcuuₘ/n) . Given λvₐcuuₘ = 640 nm , n = 1.6 , λ_m = (640/1.6) = 400 nm . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ' = λ/n and A = 2a

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Refraction, Refractive Index and Critical Angle

What is the path difference for the first dark fringe in a double-slit experiment?

**Double-slit vs single-slit** double-slit interference pattern has equally spaced bright fringes with envelope due to single-slit diffraction, single-slit central maximum width 2λ D/a, intensity of secondary maxima decreases with order, condition for coherence constant frequency and phase, path difference for bright n λ, dark (n+½)λ. Destructive interference occurs at Δ = (n + (1/2))λ . For the first dark fringe, n = 0 , so Δ = (λ/2) . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ' = λ/n and A = 2a cos(φ/2), calculation gives (λ/2),

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Interference - Double-Slit and Coherence

What is the speed of light in a medium with refractive index 1.3, given the speed in vacuum is \( 3.0 \times 10^8 \, \te

**Refractive index** n = c/v, c=3×10⁸ m/s vacuum, v speed in medium, for v=2.25×10⁸ m/s n=3/2.25=1.33, for v=1.8×10⁸ n=1.67, for n=1.3 v=3×10⁸/1.3=2.31×10⁸ m/s, for n=1.6 v=1.875×10⁸ m/s, for n=1.2 λ_medium = λ_vacuum/n =600/1.2=500 nm, for n=1.75 λ=700/1.75=400 nm, for n=1.5 λ=750/1.5=500 nm, wavelength in medium λ' = λ/n. Speed in a medium v = (c/n) . Given n = 1.3 , c = 3.0 × 10⁸ m/s , v = (3.0 × 10⁸/1.3) ≈ 2.31 × 10⁸ m/s . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n, λ'

Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Wave Optics > Refraction, Refractive Index and Critical Angle