Wave Optics Quiz

Questions and Answers

What is wave optics and what does it study?

Wave optics is the branch of optics which studies interference, diffraction, and polarization, and other phenomena for which the ray approximation of geometric optics is not valid.

Describe the electromagnetic nature of light.

Light has an electromagnetic nature, consisting of electric and magnetic field vectors oscillating in mutually perpendicular directions and perpendicular to the direction of wave motion.

Explain Huygen’s wave theory of light.

Huygen’s wave theory proposes that every point of a wavefront is a source of secondary wavelets that spread out in the forward direction at the same speed as the wave itself.

Why will a visible-light microscope never be able to make images of individual atoms?

<p>Visible-light microscopes will never be able to make images of individual atoms due to the limitations of the wavelength of visible light.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why are computer chip manufacturers investing billions of dollars in equipment to etch chips with x-rays instead of visible light?

<p>Computer chip manufacturers are investing in x-ray equipment due to the shorter wavelength of x-rays, allowing for higher resolution and the ability to etch smaller features on chips.</p> Signup and view all the answers