Question 1

The diffraction pattern of a single slit is shown in the figure. The point at which the path difference of the extreme rays is two wavelengths is

Accepted Answer

A)  1. 
B)  2. 
C)  3. 
D)  4. 
E)  5.

Question 2

Light is an electromagnetic wave. When visible light is plane polarized,

Accepted Answer

A)  the electric-field vector is parallel to the magnetic-field vector. 
B)  the electric-field vector is parallel to the direction of propagation. 
C)  the electric-field vector is in a fixed direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation, but the magnetic-field vector may be in any direction. 
D)  the electric-field vector is in a fixed direction perpendicular to the direction of propagation, and the magnetic-field vector is perpendicular to the electric-field vector. 
E)  None of these is correct.

Question 3

Which of the following statements about Young's double-slit experiment is false?

Accepted Answer

A)  The bands of light are caused by the interference of the light coming from the two slits. 
B)  The results of the double-slit experiment support the particle theory of light. 
C)  Double-slit interference patterns can also be produced with sound and water waves. 
D)  If the slits are moved closer together, the bands of light on the screen are spread farther apart. 
E)  The pattern of light on the screen consists of many bands, not just two bands.

Question 4

A light wave in air strikes a glass plate 1 cm thick at an angle of incidence of 50.0º. If the index of refraction of the glass is 1.50 for this light, the actual path length of the light through the glass is approximately

Accepted Answer

A)  0.51 cm. 
B)  1.16 cm. 
C)  1.50 cm. 
D)  2.11 cm. 
E)  7.66 cm.

Question 5

A light wave traveling at speed v1 in medium 1 passes into medium 2 where its speed is v2. By which of the following equations is the frequency f1 of the wave in medium 1 related to its frequency f2 in medium 2? θ1 and θ2 are the angles of incidence and refraction.)

Accepted Answer

A)  f1 sin θ1 = f2 sin θ2 
B)  f1v2 = f2v1  
C)  f1 = f2  
D)  f1v1 = f2v2  
E)  f1 sin θ2 = f2 sin θ1

Question 6

The critical angle for light rays passing from flint glass n = 1.70) into air is about

Accepted Answer

A)  3.4º. 
B)  36º. 
C)  44º. 
D)  54º. 
E)  90º.

Question 7

The light ray that passes through the prism and emerges at the angle of minimum deviation for that ray is

Accepted Answer

A)  1. 
B)  2. 
C)  3. 
D)  4. 
E)  5.

Question 8

In the laboratory you used the spectrometer to determine the indices of refraction of various wavelengths of light. The curve that could represent a plot of the index of refraction as a function of the wavelength of the light is

Accepted Answer

A)  1. 
B)  2. 
C)  3. 
D)  4. 
E)  5.

Question 9

Monochromatic light is incident on the prism at the proper angle for minimum deviation. The emergent ray passes through which point?

Accepted Answer

A)  1 
B)  2 
C)  3 
D)  4 
E)  5

Question 10

77 cm. If the refractive index of the liquid is 1.33 at the top and increases uniformly to the bottom, then what is the refractive index at the bottom of the liquid?

Accepted Answer

A)  1.96 
B)  2.95 
C)  1.48 
D)  1.62 
E)  None of these is correct.

Question 11

A ray of monochromatic light in air falls on the upper surface of two parallel-sided slabs of transparent material, as shown in the diagram. The angle of refraction φ in the lower slab is approximately

Accepted Answer

A)  22º. 
B)  30º. 
C)  37º. 
D)  53º. 
E)  60º.

Question 12

Which of the following is not a property of all waves?

Accepted Answer

A)  refraction 
B)  diffraction 
C)  reflection 
D)  interference 
E)  polarization

Question 13

For us to see interference phenomena in a thin film,

Accepted Answer

A)  the incoming light must be monochromatic. 
B)  the index of refraction of the thin film must be greater than the index of refraction of the material below it. 
C)  the index of refraction of the thin film must be less than the index of refraction of the material below it. 
D)  the incoming light must be multicolored. 
E)  none of these conditions need exist.

Question 14

The distance between the slits in a double-slit experiment is increased by a factor of 4. If the distance between the fringes is about the same as the distance from the slits to the screen, the distance between adjacent fringes

Accepted Answer

A)  increases by a factor of 2. 
B)  increases by a factor of 4. 
C)  decreases by a factor of 2. 
D)  decreases by a factor of 4. 
E)  depends on which two fringes are used for the measurement.

Question 15

An easy way to distinguish whether the fringe pattern is the result of a single slit or from a double slit is

Accepted Answer

A)  the intensity for each fringe is much stronger for a single slit than a double slit. 
B)  the intensity for each fringe is much stronger for a double slit than a single slit. 
C)  the width central maximum from a single slit is twice the width as the other width, whereas the widths of the fringes from a double slit are about the same width. 
D)  that there are many more fringes from a single slit than a double slit. 
E)  that there are many more fringes from a double slit than a single slit.

Question 16

An object leaves point A and travels to point B via path a. In region I, the speed is 100 m/s, while in region II, the speed is 71 m/s. How long does it take for the object to go from A to B?

Accepted Answer

A)  80.0 m/s 
B)  60.8 m/s 
C)  40.6 m/s 
D)  32.4 m/s 
E)  26.8 m/s

Question 17

The pattern of light and dark fringes formed in Young's double-slit experiment is due to

Accepted Answer

A)  interference and dispersion. 
B)  diffraction and refraction. 
C)  refraction and interference. 
D)  refraction and dispersion. 
E)  interference and diffraction.

Question 18

The light ray that passes through the prism and emerges at the angle of minimum deviation for that color is

Accepted Answer

A)  red. 
B)  yellow. 
C)  green. 
D)  blue. 
E)  violet.

Question 19

Four perfectly polarizing plates are stacked so that the axis of each plate is turned 30º clockwise with respect to that of the plate above it. The percentage of the incident unpolarized light that is transmitted by the stack is approximately

Accepted Answer

A)  zero. 
B)  0.78%. 
C)  6.3%. 
D)  21%. 
E)  27%.

Question 20

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  When two harmonic waves of the same frequency and wavelength but differing in phase combine, the resultant wave is a harmonic wave whose amplitude depends on the phase difference. 
B)  A phase difference between two waves can be the result of a difference in path length. 
C)  A path difference of one wavelength is equivalent to no phase difference at all. 
D)  A phase difference between two waves can be the result of reflection from a boundary surface. 
E)  All of these are correct.

Exam 23: Wave Properties of Light

Light is an electromagnetic wave. When visible light is plane polarized,

Which of the following statements about Young's double-slit experiment is false?

A light wave in air strikes a glass plate 1 cm thick at an angle of incidence of 50.0º. If the index of refraction of the glass is 1.50 for this light, the actual path length of the light through the glass is approximately

A light wave traveling at speed v₁ in medium 1 passes into medium 2 where its speed is v₂. By which of the following equations is the frequency f₁ of the wave in medium 1 related to its frequency f₂ in medium 2? θ₁ and θ₂ are the angles of incidence and refraction.)

The critical angle for light rays passing from flint glass n = 1.70) into air is about

The light ray that passes through the prism and emerges at the angle of minimum deviation for that ray is

Monochromatic light is incident on the prism at the proper angle for minimum deviation. The emergent ray passes through which point?

77 cm. If the refractive index of the liquid is 1.33 at the top and increases uniformly to the bottom, then what is the refractive index at the bottom of the liquid?

Which of the following is not a property of all waves?

For us to see interference phenomena in a thin film,

The distance between the slits in a double-slit experiment is increased by a factor of 4. If the distance between the fringes is about the same as the distance from the slits to the screen, the distance between adjacent fringes

An easy way to distinguish whether the fringe pattern is the result of a single slit or from a double slit is

An object leaves point A and travels to point B via path a. In region I, the speed is 100 m/s, while in region II, the speed is 71 m/s. How long does it take for the object to go from A to B?

The pattern of light and dark fringes formed in Young's double-slit experiment is due to

The light ray that passes through the prism and emerges at the angle of minimum deviation for that color is

Four perfectly polarizing plates are stacked so that the axis of each plate is turned 30º clockwise with respect to that of the plate above it. The percentage of the incident unpolarized light that is transmitted by the stack is approximately

Which of the following statements is true?