INTERFERENC
E
GRADE XI SCIENCE
What??
The overlapping wave are said to interference
Interference is where two or more waves meet or overlap to form a
resultant wave.
The resultant displacement at any point is the sum of displacements of
the individual waves
Constructive and destructive interference
Picture below shows two waves of the same frequency arriving at a point in phase
The peaks of the one wave meet with the peaks of the other wave
The troughs of the one wave meet with the troughs of the other wave
The waves interfere constructively
Picture below shows two waves of the same frequency arriving at a
point antiphase
The peaks of the one wave meet with the troughs of the other wave
The waves interfere distructively
This situation is an example of the principle of the superposition of
waves.
The Principle of super position state that, when two or more waves
meet at a point, the resultant displacement at that point is equal to the
sum of the displacements of the individual waves at that point
Producing an interference pattern
Interference can be produced with sound waves and light waves
the picture shows an experimental arrangement
To demonstrate interference with sound
waves from two loud speaker which
Produce waves with the same frequency
Loud sound = constructive interference
Silent sound = destructive interference
In 1801 Thomas Young demonstrated how light waves could produce an
interference pattern. The experimental arrangement is shown in the
picture below
• When a monochromatic light source is placed behind a
single slit, the light is diffracted producing two light
sources at the double slits A and B
• Since both light sources originate from the same
primary source, they are coherent and will therefore
create an observable interference pattern
• Both diffracted light from the double slits create an
interference pattern made up of bright and dark fringes
• The wavelength of the light can be calculated from the
interference pattern and experiment set up. These are
related using the double-slit equation
Example
STATIONARY
WAVES
The wave pattern on the vibrating string are called stationary waves or
standing waves
If two waves which have equal frequency and amplitude travelling in
opposite directions on the same string/spring and produce
interference pattern which the crest and the trough don’t move is
called stationary waves
Where is it formed?
Stationary Waves on string
• If we pluck a string, the string will vibrate freely with certain
frequency then the amplitude become large. It is called resonance
effect.
• Stationary waves pattern can be controlled by changing tension and
frequency of source
How to calculate the frequency of stationary waves pattern??
1. Both ends fixed
f = frequency (Hz) n = 1 , means 1st harmonic
n = harmonic (Fundamental node)
L = the length of string (m) n = 2 , means 2nd harmonic
v = speed of waves (m/s) (First overtone)
n = 3 , means 3rd harmonic
(second overtone).. And so on
Don’t be confuse
2. One end fixed one end free
f = frequency (Hz) n = 1 , means 1st harmonic
n = harmonic (Fundamental mode)
L = the length of string (m) n = 2 , means 2nd harmonic
v = speed of waves (m/s) (First overtone)
n = 3 , means 3rd harmonic
(second overtone).. And so on
Don’t be confuse
Stationary Waves in air
1. Open ends
at both
f = frequency (Hz) n = 1 , means 1st harmonic
n = harmonic (Fundamental mode)
L = the length of string (m) n = 2 , means 2nd harmonic
v = speed of waves (m/s) (First overtone)
n = 3 , means 3rd harmonic
(second overtone).. And so on
Don’t be confuse
2. Closed at
one end
f = frequency (Hz) n = 1 , means 1st harmonic
n = harmonic (Fundamental mode)
L = the length of string (m) n = 2 , means 2nd harmonic
v = speed of waves (m/s) (First overtone)
n = 3 , means 3rd harmonic
(second overtone).. And so on
Don’t be confuse
Summary Standing Waves
• Both ends fixed • Both ends opened
• One end fixed • One end closed
Example Question
Find the fundamental frequency and first two overtones for an organ
pipe which is 0.17 m long and closed at one end. The speed of sound in
the air 340 m/s
Solution :
f1 = (2x1 – 1)340/4x0.17 = 500 Hz (fundamental frequency /1st Harmonic)
f2 = (2x2 – 1)340/4x0.17 = 1500 Hz (first overtones /2nd Harmonic)
f3 = (2x3 – 1)340/4x0.17 = 2500 Hz (second overtones /3rd Harmonic)
DON’T BE CONFUSED !!!!
Diffraction Fringe
GAME
What???
• Diffraction is the spreading out of waves when they
pass an obstruction
• This obstruction is typically a narrow slit (an aperture)
• The extent of diffraction depends on the width of the
gap compared with the wavelength of the waves
• Diffraction is the most prominent when the width of the slit is
approximately equal to the wavelength
• The only property of a wave that changes when its
diffracted is its amplitude
• This is because some energy is dissipated when a wave is
diffracted through a gap
• Diffraction can also occur when waves curve around an edge:
Diffraction Fringes (single slit)
λ = wavelength
a = The width the slit
θ = diffraction angle
n = Dark fringes (minimum) order
>> 1, 2, 3, 4, …
• A diffraction grating is a plate on which there is a very large number of
parallel, identical, very closely spaced slits.
• When monochromatic light is incident on a grating, a
pattern of narrow bright fringes is produced on a screen
The angles at which the maxima of intensity
(constructive interference) are produced can be deduced
by the diffraction grating equation
Diffraction grating equation for the angle of bright
fringes
• The angular separation of each maxima is calculated by
rearranging the grating equation to make θ the subject
• The angle θ is taken from the center meaning the higher
orders are at greater angles
• The angular separation between the first and second
maxima n1 and n2 is θ2 – θ1
Relation between lines and the slit spacing
•
Summary
Diffraction Diffraction grating
Example 1
• Calculate the angle between the center of the diffraction pattern and the
first minimum when light of wavelength 600 nm passes through a slit 0.10
mm wide.
• Using
• Substituting, sin α = 1 x 6.0 x 10-7 / 1.0x 10-4 (don’t forget! convert to m)
= 0.0060,
α = 0.34 °
Example 2
• Example Monochromatic light is incident normally on a grating with 7.00
x 105 lines per meter. A second-order maximum is observed at an angle
of diffraction of 40.0 °. Calculate the wavelength of the incident light.
• d = 1 / N. For this grating,
• d = 1 / 7.00 x 105 = 1.43 x 10-6m.
• Using
• Re-arranged, λ= (d/n) sin θ
= (1.43 x 10-6 / 2) sin 40.0 °
= 4.6 x 10-7 = 460 nm
