Question 1

When a light wave enters into a medium of different refractive index,

Accepted Answer

A) only its speed and frequency change. 
B) only its speed and wavelength change. 
C) only its frequency and wavelength change. 
D) its speed,frequency,and wavelength change. 
A) only its speed and frequency change. 
B) only its speed and wavelength change. 
C) only its frequency and wavelength change. 
D) its speed,frequency,and wavelength change.

Question 2

With what color light would you expect to be able to see the finest detail when using a microscope?

Accepted Answer

A) red,because of its long wavelength 
B) yellow,because of its intermediate wavelength 
C) blue,because of its shorter wavelength 
D) The color does not matter. 
A) red,because of its long wavelength 
B) yellow,because of its intermediate wavelength 
C) blue,because of its shorter wavelength 
D) The color does not matter.

Question 3

Two radio antennas are 10 km apart on a north-south axis on high mountain tops at the seacoast.The antennas broadcast identical AM radio signals,in phase,at a frequency of 4.70 MHz.A steamship,200 km offshore,travels toward the north at 15 km/h and passes east of the antennas.A radio on board the ship is tuned to the broadcast frequency.The reception of the radio signal on the ship is a maximum at a given instant.How much later until the next occurrence of maximum reception? (c = 3.00 × 108 m/s)

Accepted Answer

A) 5.1 min 
B) 3.8 min 
C) 6.4 min 
D) 7.7 min 
E) 8.9 min 
A) 5.1 min 
B) 3.8 min 
C) 6.4 min 
D) 7.7 min 
E) 8.9 min

Question 4

A double slit that is illuminated with coherent light of wavelength 644 nm produces a pattern of bright and dark fringes on a screen 6.00 cm from the slits.If the slits are 2783 nm apart,what is the distance on the screen between the 4th and the 2nd bright fringes on one side of the central maximum?

Accepted Answer

A) 23.0 cm 
B) 17.6 cm 
C) 11.5 cm 
D) 3.13 cm 
E) 14.7 cm 
A) 23.0 cm 
B) 17.6 cm 
C) 11.5 cm 
D) 3.13 cm 
E) 14.7 cm

Question 5

When a beam of light,originally traveling in air,enters a piece of glass having an index of refraction of 3/2,its speed

Accepted Answer

A) increases by a factor of 3/2. 
B) is reduced to 2/3 its original value. 
C) is unaffected. 
A) increases by a factor of 3/2. 
B) is reduced to 2/3 its original value. 
C) is unaffected.

Question 6

Monochromatic light is incident on a diffraction grating that is 75 mm wide and ruled with 50,000 lines.The second-order maximum is seen at 32.5°.What is the wavelength of the incident light?

Accepted Answer

A) 202 nm 
B) 403 nm 
C) 605 nm 
D) 806 nm 
A) 202 nm 
B) 403 nm 
C) 605 nm 
D) 806 nm

Question 7

Two beams of coherent light start out at the same point in phase and travel different paths to arrive at point P.If the maximum constructive interference is to occur at point P,the two beams must travel paths that differ by

Accepted Answer

A) a whole number of wavelengths. 
B) an odd number of half-wavelengths. 
C) a whole number of half-wavelengths. 
A) a whole number of wavelengths. 
B) an odd number of half-wavelengths. 
C) a whole number of half-wavelengths.

Question 8

A single slit,1,400 nm wide,forms a diffraction pattern when illuminated by monochromatic light of 490-nm wavelength.What is the largest angle from the central maximum at which the intensity of the light is zero?

Accepted Answer

A) 44° 
B) 41° 
C) 38° 
D) 35° 
E) 32° 
A) 44° 
B) 41° 
C) 38° 
D) 35° 
E) 32°

Question 9

A beam of light of wavelength 610 nm passes through a slit that is 1.90 µm wide.At what the angle away from the centerline does the second dark fringe occur?

Accepted Answer

A) 11.4° 
B) 9.35° 
C) 12.2° 
D) 39.9° 
E) 18.7° 
A) 11.4° 
B) 9.35° 
C) 12.2° 
D) 39.9° 
E) 18.7°

Question 10

In one particular case,the limiting angle of resolution for an eye is 1.4 × 10-4 rad.What is the minimum separation between two point sources of light that the eye can distinguish if they are at a distance of 40 m from the observer?

Accepted Answer

A) 2.8 mm 
B) 5.6 mm 
C) 1.4 mm 
D) 8.4 mm 
E) 4.7 mm 
A) 2.8 mm 
B) 5.6 mm 
C) 1.4 mm 
D) 8.4 mm 
E) 4.7 mm

Question 11

When light travels from air into water,

Accepted Answer

A) its velocity,wavelength and frequency all change. 
B) its velocity changes,but its frequency and wavelength do not change. 
C) its frequency changes,but its velocity and wavelength do not change. 
D) its velocity and wavelength change,but its frequency does not change. 
E) its wavelength changes,but its velocity and frequency do not change. 
A) its velocity,wavelength and frequency all change. 
B) its velocity changes,but its frequency and wavelength do not change. 
C) its frequency changes,but its velocity and wavelength do not change. 
D) its velocity and wavelength change,but its frequency does not change. 
E) its wavelength changes,but its velocity and frequency do not change.

Question 12

Light reflects off the surface of Lake Superior.What phase shift does it undergo?

Accepted Answer

A) 0° 
B) 90° 
C) 180° 
D) 270° 
E) It does not undergo any phase shift. 
A) 0° 
B) 90° 
C) 180° 
D) 270° 
E) It does not undergo any phase shift.

Question 13

Radio waves are diffracted by large objects such as buildings,whereas light is not noticeably diffracted.Why is this?

Accepted Answer

A) Radio waves are unpolarized,whereas light is normally polarized. 
B) The wavelength of light is much smaller than the wavelength of radio waves. 
C) The wavelength of light is much greater than the wavelength of radio waves. 
D) Radio waves are coherent and light is usually not coherent. 
E) Radio waves are polarized,whereas light is usually unpolarized. 
A) Radio waves are unpolarized,whereas light is normally polarized. 
B) The wavelength of light is much smaller than the wavelength of radio waves. 
C) The wavelength of light is much greater than the wavelength of radio waves. 
D) Radio waves are coherent and light is usually not coherent. 
E) Radio waves are polarized,whereas light is usually unpolarized.

Question 14

In a two-slit experiment using coherent light,the distance between the slits and the screen is 1.10 m,and the distance between the slits is 0.0400 mm.If the second order bright fringe is measured to be 4.20 cm from the centerline on the screen,what is the wavelength of light?

Accepted Answer

A) 200 nm 
B) 381 nm 
C) 401 nm 
D) 620 nm 
E) 763 nm 
A) 200 nm 
B) 381 nm 
C) 401 nm 
D) 620 nm 
E) 763 nm

Question 15

A beam of monochromatic light passes through a slit that is 11.0 μm wide.If the first order dark fringe of the resulting diffraction pattern is at an angle of 4.31° away from the centerline,what is the wavelength of light?

Accepted Answer

A) 827 nm 
B) 301 nm 
C) 602 nm 
D) 402 nm 
E) 201 nm 
A) 827 nm 
B) 301 nm 
C) 602 nm 
D) 402 nm 
E) 201 nm

Question 16

A beam of light of wavelength 600 nm is incident normally on a diffraction grating with a spacing between slits of 1.70 × 10-4 cm.At what angle away from the centerline does a first-order maximum occur?

Accepted Answer

A) 10.5° 
B) 12.1° 
C) 16.4° 
D) 18.2° 
E) 20.7° 
A) 10.5° 
B) 12.1° 
C) 16.4° 
D) 18.2° 
E) 20.7°

Question 17

A pair of narrow slits that are 1.8 mm apart is illuminated by a monochromatic coherent light source.A fringe pattern is observed on a screen 4.8 m from the slits.If there are 5.0 bright fringes/cm on the screen,what is the wavelength of the monochromatic light?

Accepted Answer

A) 550 nm 
B) 600 nm 
C) 650 nm 
D) 700 nm 
E) 750 nm 
A) 550 nm 
B) 600 nm 
C) 650 nm 
D) 700 nm 
E) 750 nm

Question 18

Light in a frozen block of ice reflects off the ice-air interface at the surface of the block.What phase shift does it undergo?

Accepted Answer

A) 0° 
B) 90° 
C) 180° 
D) 270° 
E) It does not undergo any phase shift. 
A) 0° 
B) 90° 
C) 180° 
D) 270° 
E) It does not undergo any phase shift.

Question 19

If a diffraction grating is heated (without damaging it)and therefore expands,what happens to the angular location of the first-order maximum?

Accepted Answer

A) It moves toward the centerline. 
B) It moves away from the centerline. 
C) It doesn't change. 
A) It moves toward the centerline. 
B) It moves away from the centerline. 
C) It doesn't change.

Question 20

The two stars in a binary star system have an angular separation of 1.0 × 10-5 rad.If the wavelength of the light from the system is 500 nm,what is the smallest diameter aperture telescope that could just resolve this system to show that it contains two stars?

Accepted Answer

A) 0.50 cm 
B) 0.61 cm 
C) 5.0 cm 
D) 6.1 cm 
A) 0.50 cm 
B) 0.61 cm 
C) 5.0 cm 
D) 6.1 cm

Exam 28: Physical Optics: Interference and Diffraction

When a light wave enters into a medium of different refractive index,

With what color light would you expect to be able to see the finest detail when using a microscope?

When a beam of light,originally traveling in air,enters a piece of glass having an index of refraction of 3/2,its speed

Monochromatic light is incident on a diffraction grating that is 75 mm wide and ruled with 50,000 lines.The second-order maximum is seen at 32.5°.What is the wavelength of the incident light?

Two beams of coherent light start out at the same point in phase and travel different paths to arrive at point P.If the maximum constructive interference is to occur at point P,the two beams must travel paths that differ by

A single slit,1,400 nm wide,forms a diffraction pattern when illuminated by monochromatic light of 490-nm wavelength.What is the largest angle from the central maximum at which the intensity of the light is zero?

A beam of light of wavelength 610 nm passes through a slit that is 1.90 µm wide.At what the angle away from the centerline does the second dark fringe occur?

In one particular case,the limiting angle of resolution for an eye is 1.4 × 10-4 rad.What is the minimum separation between two point sources of light that the eye can distinguish if they are at a distance of 40 m from the observer?

When light travels from air into water,

Light reflects off the surface of Lake Superior.What phase shift does it undergo?

Radio waves are diffracted by large objects such as buildings,whereas light is not noticeably diffracted.Why is this?

In a two-slit experiment using coherent light,the distance between the slits and the screen is 1.10 m,and the distance between the slits is 0.0400 mm.If the second order bright fringe is measured to be 4.20 cm from the centerline on the screen,what is the wavelength of light?

A beam of monochromatic light passes through a slit that is 11.0 μm wide.If the first order dark fringe of the resulting diffraction pattern is at an angle of 4.31° away from the centerline,what is the wavelength of light?

A beam of light of wavelength 600 nm is incident normally on a diffraction grating with a spacing between slits of 1.70 × 10-4 cm.At what angle away from the centerline does a first-order maximum occur?

A pair of narrow slits that are 1.8 mm apart is illuminated by a monochromatic coherent light source.A fringe pattern is observed on a screen 4.8 m from the slits.If there are 5.0 bright fringes/cm on the screen,what is the wavelength of the monochromatic light?

Light in a frozen block of ice reflects off the ice-air interface at the surface of the block.What phase shift does it undergo?

If a diffraction grating is heated (without damaging it)and therefore expands,what happens to the angular location of the first-order maximum?

The two stars in a binary star system have an angular separation of 1.0 × 10-5 rad.If the wavelength of the light from the system is 500 nm,what is the smallest diameter aperture telescope that could just resolve this system to show that it contains two stars?

Introduction to Physics

One-Dimensional Kinematics

Vectors in Physics

Two-Dimensional Kinematics

Newtons Laws of Motion

Applications of Newtons Laws

Work and Kinetic Energy

Potential Energy and Conservation of Energy

Linear Momentum and Collisions

Rotational Kinematics and Energy

Rotational Dynamics and Static Equilibrium

Gravity

Oscillations About Equilibrium

Waves and Sound

Fluids

Temperature and Heat

Phases and Phase Changes

The Laws of Thermodynamics

Electric Charges, Forces, and Fields

Electric Potential and Electric

Electric Current and Direct-Current Circuits

Magnetism

Magnetic Flux and Faradays Law of Induction

Alternating-Current Circuits

Electromagnetic Waves

Geometrical Optics

Optical Instruments

Relativity

Quantum Physics

Atomic Physics

Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Radiation

Filters

In one particular case,the limiting angle of resolution for an eye is 1.4 × 10^-4 rad.What is the minimum separation between two point sources of light that the eye can distinguish if they are at a distance of 40 m from the observer?

A beam of light of wavelength 600 nm is incident normally on a diffraction grating with a spacing between slits of 1.70 × 10^-4 cm.At what angle away from the centerline does a first-order maximum occur?

The two stars in a binary star system have an angular separation of 1.0 × 10^-5 rad.If the wavelength of the light from the system is 500 nm,what is the smallest diameter aperture telescope that could just resolve this system to show that it contains two stars?