Subject: Engineering Physics

Tutorial sheet-1 (Interference of light)

Topic: Thin Film Interference

Q.1: A soap film of refractive index 1.33 is illuminated with light of different wavelengths at an angle of 45°.
There is a complete destructive interference for wavelength =5890Å. Find the thickness of film.
[Ans. 3.132 x 10-5cm]
Q.2: Calculate the minimum thickness of the film of refractive index 1.4 in which interference of Violet
component of wavelength (=4000 Å) of incident light can take place by reflection. [Ans. 714.3 Å]
Q.3: A soap film of thickness 5 x10-5 cm is viewed at an angle of 35° to the normal. Find the wavelength of
light in the visible spectrum which will be absent from the reflected light. Given the refractive index of
the film as 1.33. [Ans. 3990 Å and 5985 Å are absent in the reflected light]
Q.4: A soap film of refractive index 4/3 and thickness 1.5 x 10-4 cm is illuminated by a white light incident at
an angle of 60°. A spectroscope examines the light reflected by it, and a dark band corresponding to a
wavelength of 5 x10-5 cm is found. Calculate the order of interference of the dark band. [Ans. n=6]
Q.5: White light falls normally on a film of soap water whose thickness is 5 x10-5 cm and refractive index is
1.33. What wavelength in the visible region will be reflected more strongly? [Ans.: 5320 Å]
Q.6: A thin film of soap solution is illuminated by white light at an angle of incidence i = sin-1(4/5) In the
reflected light, two dark consecutive overlapping fringes are observed, corresponding to the wavelength
6.1 x 10-7 m and 6 x 10-7 m. Calculate thickness of the film. Given the refractive index of the film as μ =
4/3. [Ans. 1.72 x 10-5m]
Topic: Newton’s Ring
Q.1: Newton’s rings are observed in reflected light of wavelength 5.9 x 10-5 cm. The diameter of 10th dark
ring is 0.5 cm. Find the radius of curvature of lens and the thickness of the air film.
[Ans.: 2.95 x 10-4 cm]
Q.2: A plano convex lens of radius of curvature 350 cm placed on a plane glass plate and illuminated by
monochromatic light gave the sixth bright ring of diameter 0.68 cm. Calculate the wavelength of light
used. [Ans.:5080 Å]
Q.3: In a Newton’s ring experiment the diameter of 15 ring was found to be 0.590 cm and that of the 5th ring
th

was 0.336 cm. If the radius of curvature of the plano convex lens is 100 cm, then calculate the wavelength
of light used. [Ans.: 5880 Å]
Q.4: A Newton’s ring arrangement is used with a source emitting two different wavelength λ 1 = 6.0 x 10-7 m
and λ2 = 4.8 x 10-7 m and it is found that nth dark ring of the λ1 coincides with (n+1)th dark ring due to λ2.
If the radius of curvature of curved surface of lens is 0.96 m, calculate the diameter for the (n+1) th dark
ring of λ2. [Ans.: 3.04 x 10-3 m]
Q.5: Newton’s rings are observed between a spherical surface of radius of curvature 120 cm and a plane plate.
The diameters of 5th and 16th bright rings are 0.314 cm and 0.584 cm. Calculate the diameter of 37th bright
rings and also the wavelength used. [Ans.: 0.970 mm, 4602 Å]
Q.6: The convex surface of a plano convex glass lens with radius of curvature radius R = 40 cm comes into
contact with a glass plate. A certain rings observed in reflected light has a radius r = 2.5 mm. Watching
the given ring, the lens was gradually raised from the plate by a distance h = 5.0 m. What is the radius
of that ring become equal to? [Ans.: 0.15 cm]
Q.7: The convex surface of a plano convex glass lens comes into contact with a glass plate. The position of
7th bright ring observed in the Newton’s ring formed by monochromatic light. When the lens is gradually
raised from the plate by a distance of 2.2 m, it is found that the 15th bright ring now occupied by the 7th
ring. Determine wavelength of the light used. [Ans.: 5500Å]
Q.8: Newton’s rings are formed with reflected light of wavelength 5890 Å with a liquid placed between the
plane and curved surface. The diameter of 7th bright fringe is 0.4 cm and the radius of curvature of the
curved surface is 1.0 m. Evaluate the refractive index of liquid. [Ans.: 1.38]
Q.9: If the diameter of nth dark ring in an arrangement giving Newton’s ring changes from 0.3 cm and 0.25
cm as liquid is introduced between the lens and the plate, calculate the value of the refractive index of the
liquid and also calculate the velocity of light in the liquid. Velocity of light in vacuum is 3 x 108 m/sec.
[Ans.: 2.08 x 108 m/sec.]
Q.10: Newton’s rings by reflection are formed between two bi-convex lenses having equal radii of curvatures
as 100 cm each. Calculate the distance between the 5th and 15th dark rings, using monochromatic light
of wavelength 5400 Å. [Ans.: 0.085 cm]
Topic: Michelson Interferometer
Q.1: The initial and final readings of a Michelson’s interferometer screw are 10.7347 mm and 10.7057 mm
respectively, when 100 fringes pass through the field of view. Calculate wavelength of light used.
[Ans.: 5800 Å]
Q.2: A Michelson’s interferometer is set to form circular fringes with the light of wavelength 5000 Å. By
changing the path length of movable mirror slowly 50 fringes cross the centre of view. How much path
length has been changed? [Ans.: 12.5 x 10-4 cm]
Q.3: In Michelson’s Interferometer, the scale readings for two successive maximum indistinctness of fringes
were found to be 0.6939 mm and 0.9884 mm. If the mean wavelength of two components of light be
5893 Å, deduce the difference between the wavelengths of the components. [Ans.: 5.896 Å]
Q.4: Michelson’s interferometer experiment is performed with a source which consists of two wavelengths
4882 Å and 4886 Å. Through what distance does the mirror have to be moved between two positions of
disappearance of fringes. [Ans.: 0.298 mm]
Q.5: Michelson’s Interferometer is adjusted to form circular fringes using light of wavelength 5000 Å. When
the difference of path lengths between the mirrors of the interferometer is 2.5 mm, the fringe pattern
having bright fringe at the center and we say it the first bright fringe. What is the angular radius of the
10th bright fringe in the pattern? [Ans.: 2.43o]

Topic: Anti reflection coating and Interference Filters:

Q.1: A glass microscope of refractive index μg = 1.50 is coated with Magnesium Fluoride of refractive index
μf = 1.38 film to increase the transmission of normally incident yellow light (λ= 5800 Å). What minimum
thickness should be deposited on the lens? [Ans. 1050 Å]

Q.2: A single layer of coating of thickness of λ/4 is deposited on a convex lens of refractive index μg = 1.9 to
reduce its reflectivity minimum. What is the refractive index of coating? [Ans. 1.38]

Q.3: Find the minimum thickness required of a layer of Cryolite (μ = 1.35) in an interference filter design to
isolate light of wavelength 5400 Å. If the thickness of Cryolite changes by 1%, by how much does the peak
wavelength changes? [Ans. 2000 Å, 2020 Å]

Q.4: Find the minimum thickness of a layer of magnesium fluoride of refractive index 1.38 required in an
interference filter designed to isolate light of wavelength 5893 Å. How will peak transmittance change if the
filter is tilted by 10o. [Ans. 2135 Å, -47 Å]
 Solutions of Tutorial sheet-1 (Interference of light)
Topic: Thin Film Interference
Q.1: A soap film of refractive index 1.33 is illuminated with light of different wavelengths at an angle of 45°.
There is a complete destructive interference for wavelength =5890Å. Find the thickness of film.

Q.2: Calculate the minimum thickness of the film of refractive index 1.4 in which interference of Violet
component of wavelength (=4000 Å) of incident light can take place by reflection.

Q.3: A soap film of thickness 5 x10-5 cm is viewed at an angle of 35° to the normal. Find the wavelength of
light in the visible spectrum which will be absent from the reflected light. Given the refractive index of
the film as 1.33.
Q.4: A soap film of refractive index 4/3 and thickness 1.5 x 10-4 cm is illuminated by a white light incident at
an angle of 60°. A spectroscope examines the light reflected by it, and a dark band corresponding to a
wavelength of 5 x10-5 cm is found. Calculate the order of interference of the dark band.
Q.5: White light falls normally on a film of soap water whose thickness is 5 x10-5 cm and refractive index is
1.33. What wavelength in the visible region will be reflected more strongly?

Q.6: A thin film of soap solution is illuminated by white light at an angle of incidence i = sin-1(4/5) In the
reflected light, two dark consecutive overlapping fringes are observed, corresponding to the wavelength
6.1 x 10-7 m and 6 x 10-7 m. Calculate thickness of the film. Given the refractive index of the film as μ =
4/3.
Topic: Newton’s Ring
Topic: Michelson Interferometer
Topic: Anti reflection coating and Interference Filters:

Q.1: A glass microscope of refractive index μg = 1.50 is coated with Magnesium Fluoride of refractive index
μf = 1.38 film to increase the transmission of normally incident yellow light (λ= 5800 Å). What minimum
thickness should be deposited on the lens?
Q.2: A single layer of coating of thickness of λ/4 is deposited on a convex lens of refractive index μg = 1.9 to
reduce its reflectivity minimum. What is the refractive index of coating?

Q.3: Find the minimum thickness required of a layer of Cryolite (μ = 1.35) in an interference filter design to
isolate light of wavelength 5400 Å. If the thickness of Cryolite changes by 1%, by how much does the peak
wavelength changes? [Ans. 2000 Å, 2020 Å]

Q.4: Find the minimum thickness of a layer of magnesium fluoride of refractive index 1.38 required in an
interference filter designed to isolate light of wavelength 5893 Å. How will peak transmittance change if the
filter is tilted by 10o. [Ans. 2135 Å, -47 Å]