Level Up Your Physics Knowledge with Double-slit Interference Pattern!

What phenomenon occurs when light passes through two closely spaced slits?

A. Reflection
B. Refraction
C. Interference
D. Diffraction

Answer:

The correct answer is C. Interference.

When light passes through two closely spaced slits, it undergoes a phenomenon known as interference. This results in the formation of an interference pattern on a screen placed some distance away. The interference pattern observed on the screen will exhibit alternating bright and dark fringes due to the constructive and destructive interference of light waves.

To understand this phenomenon better, let's dive into the details of how double-slit interference works:

When light travels through the slits, it creates two secondary wavefronts that overlap with each other. The overlapping waves interact, leading to regions of constructive interference where the waves reinforce each other, creating bright fringes, and regions of destructive interference where the waves cancel each other out, resulting in dark fringes on the screen.

The distance between the slits and the screen, as well as the wavelength of the light, play crucial roles in determining the spacing and intensity of the fringes in the interference pattern. By studying these patterns, scientists and physicists can gain insights into the nature of light as a wave phenomenon.