Is it necessary to have two waves of equal intensity to study interfer

1.	Is it necessary to have two waves of equal intensity to study interference pattern? Will there be an effect on clarity if the waves have unequal intensity?
Answer» No, it is not necessary to have two waves of equal intensity to study interference pattern. But with the waves of unequal intensity, the clarity of the interference pattern will be affected. Because the resultant field E at a point is given as E² = E'² + E"² + 2E' E" cosẟ. E will not be zero for any value of ẟ. The destructive (dark) interference will not be completely dark and the contrast will be low.

Is it necessary to have two waves of equal intensity to study interference pattern? Will there be an effect on clarity if the waves have unequal intensity?

Answer»

No, it is not necessary to have two waves of equal intensity to study interference pattern. But with the waves of unequal intensity, the clarity of the interference pattern will be affected. Because the resultant field E at a point is given as

E² = E'² + E"² + 2E' E" cosẟ.

E will not be zero for any value of ẟ. The destructive (dark) interference will not be completely dark and the contrast will be low.

Discussion

No Comment Found

Related InterviewSolutions

If the source of light used in a Young's double slit experiment is changed from red to violet,(a) the fringes will become brighter(b) consecutive fringes will come closer(c) the intensity of minima will increase(d) the central bright fringe will become a dark fringe
Three observers A, B and C measure the speed of light coming from a source to be vA, vB and vc. The observer A moves towards the source and C moves away from the source at the same speed. The observer B stays stationary. The surrounding space is vacuum everywhere.(a) vA > vB > vc.(b) vA < vB < vc(c) vA = vB = vc.(d) vB =1/2 (vA+vc).
When light propagates in vacuum there is an electric field and a magnetic field. These fields(a) are constant in time(b) have zero average value(c) are perpendicular to the direction of propagation of light.(d) are mutually perpendicular.
Light waves travel in vacuum along the X-axis. Which of the following may represent the wavefronts ?(a) x = c.(b) y = c.(c) z = c.(d) x + y + z = c.
Huygens' principle of secondary wavelets may be used to(a) find the velocity of light in vacuum(b) explain the particle behaviour of light(c) find the new position of a wavefront(d) explain Snell's law.
The wavefronts of light coming from a distant source of unknown shape are nearly(a) plane(b) elliptical(c) cylindrical(d) spherical.
Why don't we have interference when two candles are placed close to each other and the intensity is seen at a distant screen? What happens if the candles are replaced by laser sources?
Is it necessary to have two waves of equal intensity to study interference pattern? Will there be an effect on clarity if the waves have unequal intensity?
If Young's double slit experiment is performed in water,(a) the fringe width will decrease(b) the fringe width will increase(c) the fringe width will remain unchanged(d) there will be no fringe.
A thin transparent sheet is placed in front of a Young's double slit. The fringe-width will(a) increase(b) decrease(c) remain same(d) become nonuniform.

Is it necessary to have two waves of equal intensity to study interference pattern? Will there be an effect on clarity if the waves have unequal intensity?

Discussion

No Comment Found

Related InterviewSolutions

Reply to Comment