G.B.

Pant Institute of Engineering and Technology, Pauri Garhwal

Programme – B.Tech ECE I sem (2025-26)
Course- Engineering Physics

Tutorial Sheet-1

Interference and Diffraction

Key points and formulae

 Superposition of two coherent waves: resultant wave amplitude is given by:

o 𝐴 = [𝑎 + 𝑎 + 2𝑎 𝑎 cos (𝛿)] .
where, a1 and a2 are amplitudes, and δ is the phase difference.

 Resultant intensity: 𝐼 = 𝐼 + 𝐼 + 2 𝐼 𝐼 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝛿; where I1 and I2 are intensities of interfering waves.

 Light of wavelength comparable to width of opening (λ ~ a) spreads out upon passing through the
opening. This phenomenon is called diffraction.
 If the source of light or the screen or both of them are at finite distances from the diffracting
aperture, the diffraction obtained is called Fresnel Diffraction. Fresnel diffraction is also called near-
field diffraction.
 If the source of light or the screen or both of them are effectively far enough from the aperture so
that they can be considered as at infinite distances from the aperture. This kind of diffraction is
called Fraunhofer Diffraction. This is also called far-field diffraction
 A single slit placed between a distant light source and a screen produces a diffraction pattern which
consists of
o A broad, intense central band, called the central maximum
o A series of less intense bands (as compared to central maxima) symmetrically placed around
the central maxima, called as secondary maxima.
o A series of dark bands symmetrically placed around the central maxima called minima.

MCQ

Q1. Interference of Light shows

(a) Wave nature of light
(b) Particle nature of light
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of the above
Q2. Two Laser Beams of same wavelength and intensities 9I and I are superimposed. The minimum and
maximum intensities of the resultant beam are:
(a) 8I and 10I
(b) 0 and 10 I
(c) 4I and 16 I
(d) 4I and 10 I
Q3. The Phenomena of diffraction was discovered by
(a) Grimaldi
 (b) Fresnel
(c) Fraunhoffer
(d) Rayleigh
Q4. The diffraction fringes obtained by a single slit are of
(a) Equal width and equal Intensities
(b) Unequal width and equal Intensities
(c) Equal width and unequal Intensities
(d) Unequal width and unequal Intensities

Q5. Diffraction phenomena are usually divided into __________ classes.

(a) one (b) two (c) three (d) four.
Q6. In Fraunhofer’s diffraction, incident light waves have________ type of wavefront.
(a) circular (b) spherical (c) cylindrical (d) plane.
Q7. In single-slit experiment, if the red colour is replaced by blue then_____________.
(a) the diffraction pattern becomes narrower and crowded together
(b) the diffraction bands become wider
(c) the diffraction pattern does not change
(d) the diffraction pattern disappears.
Q8. In Fraunhofer’s diffraction the wavefront undergoing diffraction has to be
(a) cylindrical (b) spherical (c) elliptical (d) plane.
Q9. Maximum number of orders possible with a grating is
(a) independent of grating element
(b) inversely proportional to grating element
(c) directly proportional to grating element
(d) directly proportional to wavelength.
Q10. For a grating, if the width of the grating element is less than twice the wavelength of light, then
the possible number of diffraction orders are
(a) one (b) two (c) three (d) four.
Q11. When white light is incident on a diffraction grating, the light diffracted more will be
(a) blue (b) yellow (c) violet (d) red.
Q12. What are the characteristics of grating spectra?
(a) Spectral lines are almost straight and outer sharp.
(b) The spectral lines are more and more dispersed as order increases.
(c) It is situated symmetrically on both sides of zero order image.
(d) All the above.
Q13. Diffraction grating has a
(a) large number of equidistant slits
(b) only one slit
(c) large number of random distant slits
(d) circular slit.
Q14. In a diffraction grating, the condition for principal maxima is
(a) 𝑒 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜆 (b) (𝑒 + 𝑑) sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜆
(c) 𝑑 sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜆 (d) sin 𝜃 = 𝑛𝜆.
 Numerical problems

1. Two coherent sources whose intensity ratio is 144:1 produce interference fringes. Deduce the ratio
of maximum to minimum intensity of the fringe system. (169/121)
2. Suppose Young’s experiment is performed with blue-green light of wavelength 500 nm. The slits are
1.2 mm apart and the viewing screen is 5.4 m from the slits. How far apart are the bright fringes?
3. A double slit arrangement produces interference fringes for sodium light (=589 nm) that have an
angular separation of 3.5x10-3 rad. For what  would the angular separation be 10.0% greater?
4. In a Fresnel’s biprism experiment the distance between eyepiece and slit is 1 m. and the eye piece
has to be displaced through a distance of 3.4 mm for 20 fringes. For two conjugate positions of
convex lens between the biprism and the eye piece the distance between the two images are found to
be 4.05 mm and 2.90 mm. Calculate the wavelength of light used in this experiment. (5.81 x 10 -5m)
5. The distance between the slit & biprism and the biprism & the screen are 50 cm each. The angle of
the biprism is 1790 and its  = 1.5. If the distance between the successive fringes is 0.0135 cm,
calculate . (5.86 x 10-7 m)
6. When a thin monochromatic source was placed at a distance of 50 cm from a biprism of  = 1.5; the
fringe-width of the interference bands was found to be 0.012 cm on a screen placed at a 100 cm
distance from the biprism. If  =5893 Ǻ then find the obtuse angle of the biprism.
7. A Fresnel biprism arrangement is set with sodium light ( =5893 Ǻ) and in the field of view of the
eye piece we get 62 fringes. How many fringes shall we get in the same field of view if we replace
the source by mercury lamp using a) green filter (=5461 Ǻ), b) violet filter ( =4358 Ǻ).
8. The refractive index of biprism is 1.5. With a monochromatic source of light, the fringe width
obtained is 0.2 mm. The whole set up is immersed in liquid of refractive index 1.3. What will be the
fringe width now?
9. In an experiment with a biprism a convex lens is kept in between the biprism and the eyepiece. In
two different positions of the lens the distance between the images obtained in the eyepiece are 0.42
mm and 1.21 mm. In one position of the eyepiece the fringe width is 0.4mm., when the eyepiece is
moved away 60 cm the fringe width increases by 0.5mm. Calculate the wavelength of the source
used.
10. In a biprism experiment, the fringes of width 0.0195 cm are observed at 100 cm from the slit. On
introducing a convex lens 30 cm from the slit, the two images of the slit are seen 0.7 cm apart at 100
cm distance from the slit. Calculate the wavelength of light used.
11. A double slit of separation 1mm. is illuminated by white light (between 4000- 8000 Ǻ) on a screen
60 cm away colored interference pattern is formed. If a pinhole is made on this screen at a distance
of 2 mm. from the central white fringe, what wavelengths will be absent in the transmitted light?
12. Biprism fringes are produced using a source of wavelength 5893 Ǻ. The biprism is of refractive
index 1.50 and refracting angles 1.040 and 1.230. The distance of focal plane of eyepiece from the
biprism is 56.1 cm and the distance from the slit to biprism is 12.4 cm Calculate a) separation of the
coherent slit images and b) the fringe width.
13. In a Fresnel’s biprism experiment on inserting a thin plate of glass in the path of one of the
interfering beams it is found that the central bright fringe shifts to the position previously occupied
by the sixth bright fringe. If the wavelength of light used is 6000 Ǻ and the refractive index of glass
plate is 1.50 for this wavelength, calculate the thickness of the plate (7.2 micro meter).
14. In biprism experiment fringes are first observed with sodium light ( =5893 Ǻ) and fringe width was
measured as 0.347 mm. Then two thin transparent sheets A and B of thickness 0.016 mm. and 0.02
mm. and refractive indices 1.65 and 1.45 respectively were introduced in the two beams. Calculate
the shifts of fringe system. Is the shift toward A or B?
15. In one path in a biprism arrangement an air cell of 10 cm thickness is introduced and the pressure in
it is changed at the rate of 2.0 cm of mercury per minute. Given that in gases -1 is proportional to
pressure and  for air at 76 cm pressure is 1.000293, deduce the rate at which the fringe system
shifts taking / = 2.15  103. (Here  = fringe width,  = refractive index, and  = wavelength.)
16. In a typical biprism arrangement b/a =20, and for sodium light (   5893 Ǻ) one obtains a fringe
width of 0.1 cm; here b is the distance between the biprism and the screen. Assuming n = 1.5,
calculate the angle  .
17. In the Youngs double hole experiment calculate I where I represents the intensity at a point
I max
where the path difference is  .
5
18. Monochromatic light emitted by a broad source of wavelength 5800 Ǻ, falls normally on two plates
of glass enclosing a wedge shaped film. The plates touch at one end and are separated at a point 15
cm. from that at the end by a wire of 0.05 mm. diameter. Find the fringe width.
19. A soap film of r.i 4/3 and of thickness 1.5  10-4 cm is illuminated by white light incident at an
angle of 450. The light reflected by it is examined spectroscopically in which it is found that a dark
band corresponds to a wavelength of 510-5 cm. Calculate the order of the dark band.
20. Two rectangular glass - plates are laid one upon another with a wire between them at one edge, so as
to enclose a thin wedge-shaped air film. The plates are illuminated normally by sodium light ( =
5893 Ǻ ). Bright and dark fringes are formed, there being 10 of each per cm length of the wedge,
measured normal to the edge in contact. Find the angle of the wedge.
21. Two wires with diameters 0.010 cm and 0.020 cm respectively are laid parallel to each other and
2.00 cm apart on a piece of plane glass; another piece of plane glass is then laid on top. If the light
used is of wavelength 5.46  10-5 cm., calculate the distance between consecutive bright fringes.
22. A glass plate 0.40 micron thick is illuminated by a beam of white light normal to the plate.  for
glass is 1.50. Calculate the wavelengths within the limits of visible spectrum ( = 4.0  10 -5 cm to 
= 7.010-5 cm) which will be intensified in the reflected beam.
23. Bright light of  = 585 nm is incident perpendicularly on a soap film (=1.33) of thickness 1.21 m,
suspended in air. Is the light reflected by the two surfaces of the film closer to interfering fully
destructively or fully constructively?
24. A Newton’s ring arrangement is used with a source emitting two wavelengths 1 = 6000 Ǻ and 2 =
4500 Ǻ and it is found that the nth dark ring due to 1 coincides with (n+1)th dark ring for 2. If the
radius of curvature of the curved surface is 90 cm. find the diameter of the n th dark ring of 1.
25. Newton’s rings are formed with reflected light of wavelength 5.095  10-5 cm with a liquid between
the plane and curved surface. The diameter of the 5 th bright ring is 0.3 cm. and radius of curvature of
the curved surface is 100 cm. Calculate the refractive index of the liquid.
26. Three convex spherical glass surfaces have large radii of 200.0, 300.0 and 400.0 cm. respectively.
When they are brought into contact in pairs and extended source of red light with a wavelength of
 6500 Ǻ is used, find (a) the path difference d and (b) the radii r of the 20 th bright ring for each of the
three combinations.
27. In the Newton’s rings arrangement, the radius of curvature of the curved surface is 50 cm. The
radius of 9th and 16th dark rings are 0.18 cm and 0.2235 cm. Calculate the wavelength
28. Plano convex lens of radius 3m is placed on an optically flat glass plate and is illuminated by
monochromatic light. The diameter of 8th dark ring in the transmitted system is 0.72 cm. Calculate
the wave length of the light used.
29. In a Newton’s ring experiment the radius of curvature of the plano-convex lens is 100cm & the
wavelength of the source is 5000Å. When the lens is lifted by certain amount the diameter of the 10 th
ring, reduces to half of its original value, calculate the amount by which the lens was raised.
30. Light containing two wavelengths 1 & 2 falls normally on a plano convex lens of radius of
curvature R resting on a glass plate. If the nth dark ring due to 1 coincides with the (n+1)th dark ring
due to 2 prove that the radius of the nth dark ring of 1 is = [(1 2 R)/( 1 -2)]1/2

31. Calculate the angular dispersion between two wavelengths with a difference of 1 A 0, the mean
wavelength being 5000 Å for a diffraction grating with 6000 lines per cm in the 2nd order. Find the
effective width of the ruling surface necessary to resolve these lines.
32. Microwaves of 6000Mc/s frequency are incident normally on a slit of variable width and large
length. A receiver is placed at a large distance on the other side at angle 30º with normal. For what
width of the slit would the receiver show zero intensity? How many lines per cm. are there in a
grating which gives an angle of diffraction to 30º in the first order of light of wavelength 6x10-5 cm.
33. A diffraction grating has 5000 lines per cm and the total ruled width is 5 cm. Calculate for a
wavelength of 5000 Å in the second order (i) the dispersion (ii) the resolving power and (iii) the
smallest difference in wavelength resolved. What happens if half the ruling width is covered?
34. The two slits of s double-slit each has a width of 0.140mm and a distance between centers of
0.840mm. (i) what orders are missing? (ii) express the intensity of orders m=1 to m=6 in terms of
intensity I0 of order m=0.
35. A grating has 1000 lines ruled on it. In the region of wavelength = 6000 Å, find (i) the separation
between two wavelengths that can be just resolved in the first order spectrum and (i) the resolving
power in the second order.
36. Light composed of two spectral lines with wavelength 6000 Å and 6005 Å falls normally on a
diffraction grating 10 mm wide. At a certain diffraction angle θ these lines are close to being
resolved ( according to Rayleigh’s criterion). Find θ.
37. The distance between the first and fifth minima of a single slit diffraction pattern is .35mm with the
screen 40 cm away from the slit, using light of wavelength 550nm (a) find the slit width (b)
calculate the angle of the first diffraction minimum.
38. A diffraction grating has 200 ruling/ mm and it produces an intensity maximum at θ = 30 (a) what
are the possible wavelengths of the incident visible light? (b) to what color do they correspond?
39. Assume that the limits of the visible spectrum are arbitrarily chosen as 430nm and 680nm. Calculate
the number of rulings per millimeter of a grating that will spread the first order spectrum through an
angle of 20º.
40. A grating has 350 rulings per mm and is illuminated at normal incidence by white light. A spectrum
is formed on a screen 30cm. From the grating if a hole 10mm square is cut in the screen, its inner
 edge being 50mm from the central maximum and parallel to it, what range of wavelengths passes
through the hole?
41. A grating (with 15000 lines per inch) is illuminated by white light. Assuming that white light
consists of wavelength lying between 4000 and 7000Å, calculate the angular widths of the first and
second order spectra ( Hint: you should not use the formula ( m / (d cos); why?)
42. A grating has 600 ruling/cm and is 6.0cm wide (a) What is the smallest wavelength interval that can
be resolved in third order at λ=5000Å (b) For this wavelength and this grating can the resolution be
improved. How?
43. In the 2nd order spectrum of a plane diffraction grating, a certain spectral line appears at an angle of
10º, while another line of wavelength 5x10-9 cm greater appears at an angle 3 greater. Find the
wavelengths of the lines and the minimum grating width required to resolve them.
44. Show that for a transmission grating with one inch ruled space, the resolving power cannot exceed
5x104 at normal incidence for λ= 5080 Å.