Interference

Question 1

What is interference?

Answer 1

A special case of superposition where the waves that combine our coherent
The waves overlap and form, repeating interference pattern of minimum and maximum areas

Question 2

What would happen to the interference pattern if the waves aren’t coherent

Answer 2

It will change rapidly and continuously

Question 3

What is coherence?

Answer 3

Waves which are of the same frequency, wavelength, polarisation, and amplitude, and add a constant phase relationship

Question 4

When do you get constructive interference?

Answer 4

When the Phase difference between the waves is a whole number of Wavelengths, so the waves arrive in phase, adding together to give a large wave

Question 5

When do you get a destructive interference?

Answer 5

The path difference between the waves is a half number of weird links, so the waves arrive out of phase cancelling out to give no wave at all

Question 6

What is the equation for the separation of fringes?

Answer 6

w=LD/s
L is lambda
D is distance from screen
s is separation of sources