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#coherent waves

10 public questions tagged with this topic.

What is the resultant amplitude of two coherent waves of amplitude \( a \) with a phase difference of \( 4\pi \)?

**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. Resultant amplitude A = 2a cos(Φ/2) . For Φ = 4π , A = 2a cos(2π) = 2a × 1 = 2a . 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 2a, illustrating interference, diffraction an

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

What is the resultant amplitude of two coherent waves of amplitude \( a \) with a phase difference of \( 7\pi/2 \)?

**Superposition principle** resultant displacement sum of individual, for two coherent waves amplitude a each, resultant amplitude A = √(a² + a² +2a² cosφ)=2a|cos(φ/2)|, phase difference φ, path difference Δ = (φ/2π)λ, for φ=π/2 A=√2 a, for φ=6π cos3π=-1? Actually φ=6π cos3π? A=2a|cos3π|=2a, for φ=4π A=2a, intensity I ∝ A², maximum I_max=4I₀ when φ=0, I=2I₀(1+cosφ)=4I₀ cos²(φ/2). Resultant amplitude A = 2a cos(Φ/2) . For Φ = (7π/2) , A = 2a cos((7π/4)) = 2a ((√(2)/2)) = a√(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

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

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

**Superposition principle** resultant displacement sum of individual, for two coherent waves amplitude a each, resultant amplitude A = √(a² + a² +2a² cosφ)=2a|cos(φ/2)|, phase difference φ, path difference Δ = (φ/2π)λ, for φ=π/2 A=√2 a, for φ=6π cos3π=-1? Actually φ=6π cos3π? A=2a|cos3π|=2a, for φ=4π A=2a, intensity I ∝ A², maximum I_max=4I₀ when φ=0, I=2I₀(1+cosφ)=4I₀ cos²(φ/2). Resultant amplitude A = 2a cos(Φ/2) . For Φ = π , A = 2a cos(π/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' =

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

What is the resultant amplitude of two coherent waves of amplitude \( a \) with a phase difference of \( 5\pi/2 \)?

**Superposition principle** resultant displacement sum of individual, for two coherent waves amplitude a each, resultant amplitude A = √(a² + a² +2a² cosφ)=2a|cos(φ/2)|, phase difference φ, path difference Δ = (φ/2π)λ, for φ=π/2 A=√2 a, for φ=6π cos3π=-1? Actually φ=6π cos3π? A=2a|cos3π|=2a, for φ=4π A=2a, intensity I ∝ A², maximum I_max=4I₀ when φ=0, I=2I₀(1+cosφ)=4I₀ cos²(φ/2). Resultant amplitude A = 2a cos(Φ/2) . For Φ = (5π/2) , A = 2a cos((5π/4)) = 2a (-(√(2)/2)) = -a√(2) , magnitude a√(2) . Using Δ = d sinθ, y = n λ D/d, a sinθ = n λ, I = I₀ cos²θ, n = c/v, sinC = 1/n,

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

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 resultant amplitude of two coherent waves of amplitude \( a \) with a phase difference of \( 2\pi \)?

**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. Resultant amplitude A = 2a cos(Φ/2) . For Φ = 2π , A = 2a cos(π) = 2a × (-1) = -2a , but magnitude is 2a . 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 2a,

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

What is the resultant amplitude of two coherent waves of amplitude \( a \) with a phase difference of \( 3\pi \)?

**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 = 3π , A = 2a cos((3π/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 resultant amplitude of two coherent waves of amplitude \( a \) with a phase difference of \( 6\pi \)?

**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 = 6π , A = 2a cos(3π) = 2a × (-1) = -2a , magnitude 2a . 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 > Superposition, Resultant Amplitude and Intensity

What is the phase difference between two coherent waves resulting in destructive interference?

**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. Destructive interference occurs when the phase difference is an odd multiple of π , with the simplest case being Φ = π . 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 π, illustrating interference, diffraction and pola

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

What is the amplitude of the resultant wave when two coherent waves of amplitude \( a \) interfere with a phase differen

**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 = π/2 , A = 2a cos(π/4) = 2a × (√(2)/2) = a√(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 a√(2), illustrating interference, diffraction and polarization principles.

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