Wave Phenomena and Light Dispersion

A disturbance that carries energy from one place to another.

The wavelength of the light.

Polarization helps distinguish between waves that vibrate in different directions. Transverse waves can be polarized, while longitudinal waves cannot.

When two or more waves combine to create a wave with a larger amplitude than the original waves.

When two or more waves combine to create a wave with a smaller amplitude than the original waves.

The splitting of white light into its component colors (spectrum) based on the different wavelengths of each color.

Waves that vibrate perpendicular to the direction they travel, like light waves.

Waves that vibrate parallel to the direction they travel, like sound waves.

The concept that light can behave as both a wave and a particle. Demonstrated through phenomena like interference (wave-like) and the photoelectric effect (particle-like).

When two or more waves combine to form a new wave.

Light is separated into its constituent wavelengths.

The path difference determines whether the interference is constructive (bright) or destructive (dark).

Polarization restricts the vibrations of transverse waves to a single plane.

No, longitudinal waves cannot be polarized because their vibrations are parallel to wave propagation. Polarization requires vibrations perpendicular to propagation.

The spectrum refers to the range of different wavelengths of light, typically displayed as colors.

Interference involves overlapping waves forming a new resultant wave, while diffraction involves spreading as waves encounter gaps/obstacles.

In constructive interference, the resultant wave has a greater amplitude, resulting in increased brightness.

Transverse: Vibrations perpendicular to wave propagation. Longitudinal: Vibrations parallel to it. Think of shaking a rope vs. pushing a spring.

This suggests that light exhibits properties of both waves and particles, challenging classical physics.

The color of monochromatic light is solely determined by its wavelength.

The Vernier scale is a movable scale that slides or rotates past a fixed main scale, enhancing the accuracy of angle measurements to the nearest minute or with one or two decimal places.

The process of adjusting the leveling screws on a turntable to ensure it is perfectly horizontal.

Electromagnetic waves are a type of wave that consists of vibrating electric and magnetic fields, traveling at the speed of light (approximately 3 x 10^8 m/s).

The range of wavelengths present in electromagnetic radiation, from low-energy radio waves to high-energy gamma rays.

Electromagnetic waves are transverse waves because the vibrations of the electric and magnetic fields are perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation.

The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that humans can see. It ranges from approximately 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red).

Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light, ranging from about 400 nm to 1 nm. Known for its ability to cause tanning or sunburn.

Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths even shorter than UV, ranging from 10 nm to 0.1 nm. Used in medical imaging.

Electromagnetic radiation with the shortest wavelengths, ranging from less than 0.1 nm to even smaller. Emitted from the nuclei of certain atoms.

Electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light, ranging from approximately 700 nm to 1 mm. Used in remote controls and heat sensing.

The pattern of bright and dark fringes observed when light passes through two narrow slits. This phenomenon provides conclusive evidence that light exhibits wave-like properties.

A phenomenon where waves bend around obstacles or spread out through openings. This occurs when the size of the obstacle or opening is comparable to the wavelength of the wave.

The combination of two or more waves resulting in a new wave pattern. When waves combine in phase, they reinforce each other (constructive interference). When waves combine out of phase, they cancel each other out (destructive interference).

The distance between two adjacent slits or lines in a diffraction grating. It determines the spacing of the interference pattern.

A tool used to produce interference patterns by passing light through a series of closely spaced slits or lines. It is often used to measure the wavelength of light.

A device used to analyze and measure light, particularly its wavelength. It utilizes a collimator to create a parallel beam of light, a turntable to hold the diffraction grating, and an astronomical telescope to view the interference pattern.

The central bright fringe observed in the interference pattern produced by a diffraction grating or Young's slits. It corresponds to zero path difference between the waves from adjacent slits.

The bright fringes other than the zero-order image located on either side of the central fringe. The order of a bright fringe corresponds to the number of wavelengths by which the path difference between the waves from adjacent slits differs.

The equation relating the wavelength of light (λ), the grating constant (d), the order of the image (n), and the angle of the bright fringe relative to the zero-order image (θ): nλ = dsinθ

Light consisting of a single wavelength or a narrow range of wavelengths. It produces a distinct interference pattern with sharp, well-defined bright fringes.

Newton proposed that light consists of tiny particles called corpuscles, emitted in all directions from a light source.

Huygens believed that light behaves as a wave, similar to water waves or sound waves.

Young's double-slit experiment demonstrates that light can create interference patterns, a hallmark of wave behavior. This evidence helps disprove the purely particle-based theory of light.

Coherent light sources are essential for observing interference patterns because they produce waves with a constant phase difference. This allows for constructive and destructive interference to occur predictably.

Diffraction, a wave-like phenomenon, occurs when waves bend around obstacles or spread through openings. Observing this bending in light supports the wave theory of light.

Huygens proposed that light behaves as a wave, while Newton suggested that light is made up of particles. This marked a key point of contention in the understanding of light's nature.

Newton's corpuscular theory of light proposed that light is composed of tiny particles called corpuscles, which are emitted in all directions from a light source.

Electromagnetic waves, unlike mechanical waves, do not require a medium to travel. They can travel through a vacuum, as demonstrated by sunlight reaching Earth.

The photoelectric effect, where light ejects electrons from a metal surface, provides strong evidence for the particle-like nature of light because energy packets (photons) are needed to knock off electrons.

Light's wave-particle duality describes its ability to exhibit both wave-like and particle-like behavior. This challenges classical physics, which previously viewed light as solely a wave or a particle.

The increase in wavelength causes the interference pattern to spread out, leading to larger distances between the fringes.

Diffraction is the bending of waves around obstacles or through openings. Interference is the superposition of waves resulting in a new wave pattern.

Visible light spans wavelengths ranging from 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red).

Increasing the distance between slits in a double-slit experiment causes the fringes to become closer together.

The grating constant (d) is the distance between two adjacent slits or lines in a diffraction grating. It directly influences the spacing of the interference pattern.

The collimator in a spectrometer creates a parallel beam of light by focusing all the light rays from the source onto a single point.

The Vernier scale in a spectrometer allows for precise angle measurements by providing extra divisions beyond the main scale, enhancing accuracy to minutes or decimal places.

Increasing the wavelength of light causes the distance between bright fringes to increase. Think of the pattern like ripples on a pond - if the wavelength of the ripples increases, what happens to the space between the peaks?