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Questions tagged [interference]

Interference describes different waves superposing to form a resultant wave of greater, lower, or the same amplitude. Normally, it involves interaction of waves that are correlated (coherent) with each other, either because they come from the same source, or because they have the same or nearly the same frequency. Interference effects can be observed with all types of waves, e.g., light, radio, acoustic, surface, or matter waves.

Interference describes different waves superposing to form a resultant wave of greater, lower, or the same amplitude. Normally, it involves interaction of waves that are correlated (coherent) with each other, either because they come from the same source, or because they have the same or nearly the same frequency. Interference effects can be observed with all types of waves, e.g., light, radio, acoustic, surface, or matter waves.

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Can interference occur between two waves that are parallel but separated by a small distance?

This is a image of diffraction in crystal. My doubt is how the parallel waves coming out interfere if they are seperate?
PremVijay
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Creating complex interference figures with simple sources

3D printers that use Stereolithography usually have to build a 3D object layer by layer, each layer being constructed by having a laser travel across the surface until it has hardened all the layer's interesting parts. Thus I was wondering if it…
Hippalectryon
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How can strips of light form from natural light coming through an insect net?

This morning I noticed strips of light forming on a piece of paper. The only source of light was one window, with 1/3 of it open. So light was coming from either an insect screen or blurred glass. Also no direct sunlight because of tall buildings…
user30987
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Does increasing the width of the slit increase the intensity of the light passing through it considering the slit as a source

I did an experiment in which I tried to show that the visibility of the interference fringes is related to the relative slit width in a double slit interferometer. In other words if one slit had a width that was twice the width of the other, would…
Clement Decker
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Rayleigh's Criterion

I was just wondering, when two different objects have have light coming from them to our eyes, do the intensities of each diffraction interfere? For example, in the picture below: Do the intensities interfere with each other?
Yulmart
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Period of Interference Pattern on a Substrate

Can anybody explain to me where this equation came from? It's for two point sources at the two listed points, and it's calculating the period of the wave on the substrate. It seems to be $\lambda/\sin(\theta)$, which seems contrary to what I would…
user24082
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Electron Wave Interference

In the double slit interference pattern for the wave of an electron, what will happen if I make the slits to be smaller than the size of an electron ? Will I still observe an interference pattern on the opposite side of the screen or no electron…
Isomorphic
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Newton's Ring Experiment

In Newton's ring experiment, it is said that the Newton's ring experiment is used to explain this phenomena as depicted in the image. Now, the interference pattern here is forming on the surface of the lens itself. But here in this case the…
Isomorphic
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Strange behavior of a light bulb?

What are these wave-like moving black areas shown in the following gif? Why do they start to appear when the exposure (or brightness) gets lower than a certain point? Why do the frequency and the length of these black areas change as the exposure…
Caspian Sea Seal
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What is the interference pattern?

Imagine three coherent monochromatic waves as depicted in the image. Say we are interested in the interference at a very distant point P (not depicted). As one can see, B will interfere destructively with A and C whereas A and C will interfere…
playdis
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Double Slit interference - Minimum value of distance (d) between the slits to observe dark fringes

In a double slit interference, looks like there is a minimum value of distance (d) between the slits, below which the dark fringes are not observed. What is that value of distance in terms of wavelength.?
user31058
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How can a wave interfere with itself?

We know that waves can interfere with themselves to form interference patterns for example photons and electrons. How is this possible? I know it does happen but is there a proper representation or a proof of this? It would be good if someone could…
rahulgarg12342
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why monochromatic light is necessary for interference?

One of the conditions stated for interference to occur was source should be monochromatic. why this condition needs to be satisfied for interference to occur? Is it because all mathematical equations use wavelength and single color means single…
Shrini Kulkarni
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How to find the wavelengths of sources?

I have the resulting interference field (the intensity at each point in the field is known) from several radiation sources. How can I find the wavelengths of the sources? The coordinates of the sources are also known. The wavelength can be from 1 to…
xayam
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Why can't we observe colours in thick film interference?

Please help! Please keep the level at an introductory class level. Basic idea of coherence etc. Can't understand Quantum physics etc.
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