Interference and Diffraction Flashcards

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1
Q

what does the energy of a wave depend on?

A

its frequency and amplitude

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2
Q

do longer or shorter wavelengths diffract more?

A

longer

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3
Q

when does the most diffraction occur?

A

when the gap and the wavelength are a similar size

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4
Q

what does it mean if two waves are coherent?

A

they have the same speed, frequency, wavelength and have a constant phases relationship.

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5
Q

what is constructive interference?

A

when two sets of waves meet in phase (matching crests and troughs)
two crests meet to produce a larger crest

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6
Q

what is destructive interference?

A

two sets of waves meet out of phase (180 degrees)

a crest and a trough combine to cancel each other out and produce no wave (only if amplitudes are equal)

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7
Q

real life example of destructive interference

A

noise cancelling headphones

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8
Q

what are areas of constructive interference called?

A

maximum

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9
Q

what are areas of destructive interference called?

A

minimum

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10
Q

what is the path difference at the central-zeroth order maximum

A

zero

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11
Q

what is the path difference in areas of constructive interference

A

zero or a whole number

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12
Q

what is the path difference in areas of destructive interference

A

an odd number of half wavelengths (1/2,3/2,5/2 etc.)

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13
Q

equation for path difference at maximum

A

S2P-S1p=m lambda

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14
Q

equation for path difference at minimum

A

S2P-S1P= (m+1/2) lambda

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15
Q

what does m tell you?

A

how many wavelengths one wave travels more than the other

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16
Q

equation to work out separation of slits

A

d=1/N where N is the number of lines per metre