Interference, Diffraction and Polarization of Light

Flashcards about Interference, Diffraction, and Polarization of Light based on the provided lecture notes.

__ is when two beams of light cross each other, and the resultant amplitude and intensity may be different from the sum of these contributed by the two beams acting separately.

Modification of intensity obtained by the superposition of two or more beams of light.

__ interference is when we have destructive interference.

When the resultant intensity is zero or in general less than the separate intensities.

__ interference is called constructive interference.

When the resultant intensity is greater

__ experiment, classical investigation into the nature of light.

Provided the basic element in the development of the wave theory and was first performed by the English physicist and physician Thomas Young in 1801.

Young concluded that the fringes result from the fact that __.

When light from a single source is split into two beams, and the two beams are then recombined, the combined beam shows a pattern of light and dark fringes.

__ interference is a natural phenomenon.

Light waves reflected by the upper and lower boundaries of a thin film interfere with one another, either enhancing or reducing the reflected light.

When light passes through an aperture, __.

Every point on the light wave within the aperture can be viewed as a source creating a circular wave that propagates outward from the aperture.

Huygens' principle tells us that __.

Each part of the slit can be thought of as an emitter of waves and all these waves interfere to produce the diffraction pattern.

__ of light is a property that applies to turning waves that shows the geometrical blooming of the oscillations.

Property that applies to turning waves that shows the geometrical blooming of the oscillations.

Following are the three __ of polarization on how the electric field is oriented.

Linear polarization, circular polarization, and elliptical polarization.