Question

Which statement describes an example of constructive interference in light waves?

a) Light passes through an opening such as a slit
b) Light from one room reaches a nearby darkened room
c) Overlapping light waves form a single, brighter wave
d) Light produces colors on a soap bubble

Answer 1

An example of constructive interference in light waves is when overlapping waves coincide crest to crest (or trough to trough) to form a single, brighter waveform, typically observed in interference patterns like the double-slit experiment.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that describes an example of constructive interference in light waves is: (c) Overlapping light waves form a single, brighter wave. When light passes through narrow slits, as shown in Figure 27.12(a), it is diffracted into semicircular waves. Constructive interference occurs at points where the crests (or troughs) of the overlapping waves coincide, resulting in a single, brighter waveform. This phenomenon can be observed when the interference pattern falls onto a screen, showing regions of increased brightness corresponding to constructive interference, as illustrated in Figure 27.12(c).