Physical (wave) optics
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Light can be described as a wave - In vacuum, a sinusoidal wave train of light consists of a sinusoidal electric field wave train and a sinusoidal magnetic field wave train. The electric and magnetic field waves are transverse (axes of oscillation perpendicular to direction of propagation), and the electric and magnetic field oscillations are perpendicular to each other. The axis of polarization of light is the axis of polarization of the electric field. Speed of light in vacuum โ The speed of propagation through a vacuum for both the electric field wave and the magnetic field wave is called ๐๐.
๐๐ = 3.00 ร 108 ms
Brightness โ Amplitude corresponds to intensity, and increasing intensity corresponds to increasing brightness.
๐ผ๐ผ โ ๐ด๐ด2
โ amplitude โโ brightness
Color - Frequency and (associated vacuum) wavelength correspond to color.
Just as has been the case for other waves we have encountered in AP Physics, frequency and wavelength are inversely proportional.
๐๐ = ๐๐๐๐
Physical (wave) optics
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Double-slit interference
For small angle ๐๐ (๐ฅ๐ฅ โช ๐ฟ๐ฟ),
Bright maxima
Dark minima
๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ sin๐๐ โ
๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฟ๐ฟ
๐๐ = 0,1,2, โฆ
๏ฟฝ๐๐ โ12๏ฟฝ
๐๐๐๐ โ sin๐๐ โ
๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฟ๐ฟ
๐๐ = 1,2,3, โฆ
Single-aperture interference
For small angle ๐๐ (๐ฅ๐ฅ โช ๐ฟ๐ฟ),
Bright maxima (except central maximum)
Dark minima
๏ฟฝ๐๐ +12๏ฟฝ
๐๐๐๐ โ sin๐๐ โ
๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฟ๐ฟ
๐๐ = 1,2,3, โฆ
๐๐๐๐๐๐ โ sin๐๐ โ
๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฟ๐ฟ
๐๐ = 1,2,3, โฆ
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