Question

In Young's double-slit experiment, the path difference at a certain point on the screen between two interfering waves:

(a) Is always zero.

(b) Depends on the wavelength of light.

(c) Depends on the amplitude of the waves.

(d) Is constant for all points on the screen.

Answer 1

The path difference in Young's double-slit experiment at a certain point on the screen depends on the wavelength of light and the geometry of the setup, not on the amplitude of the waves or being a constant value.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Young's double-slit experiment, the path difference at a certain point on the screen between two interfering waves depends on the wavelength of light. The path difference arises because each slit is a different distance from a given point on the screen, meaning that the light waves from the two slits will travel different distances to reach that point. Constructive interference occurs when the path length difference is an integral multiple of the wavelength (mλ, where m is the order of the interference) and destructive interference occurs when the path length difference is a half-integral multiple of the wavelength. The amplitude of the waves does not affect the path difference, and the path difference is certainly not zero or constant for all points on the screen.