Topic 4: Waves Flashcards
What is meant by the principle of superposition?
The displacement of a particle along the graph of more than one wave, at any time, is the vector sum of the displacement induced by each wave.
What decides polarization?
The final polarization is determined by the last polarizer. The intensity is determined by all polarizers that the wave passes through.
Under what condition will total internal reflection occur?
Only when looking from nbigger to nsmaller
Tips for interpreting the graph
Bending away from the perpendicular line indicates traveling faster. Bending towards indicates slower.
What are the wavelengths for visible lights?
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple - descending order ranging from 700nm to 400nm
RMIVUXG
State two ways that a wave can be polarized
- Pass through a polarizer.
2. Reflect from a non-metallic surface.
What will happen to the pattern when the white light is used instead of monochromatic light?
When white light is used, the central maximum will be white as all seven wavelengths meet in phase. The first minimum and maximum will be in violet color because it has the shortest wavelength (whereas the red light has the longest wavelength).
What’s the pattern for the single-slit experiment?
It has a significantly high central maximum, whereas the maximums have almost equal magnitude in double-slit interference if the slit width is negligible.
