Physics - Optics
Physics - Optics
Physics - Optics
A transverse wave
A longitudinal wave
Sinusoidal Waves that move both in space and time
Principle of Superposition
Constructive and Destructive Interference
Constructive: Destructive:
Displacements add Displacements cancel
Wave Optics [ch17]
● Over the past 400 years there has been an ongoing debate
over whether light is a wave or a particle.
● Newton thought that light was a particle and his view prevailed
until 1801 when Thomas Young demonstrated that light could
show interference. This strongly suggested that light was a
wave.
● It turns out that light is both a wave and a particle. It behaves
– like a wave under certain circumstances (particularly when it travels)
– like a particle under other circumstances (particularly when it collides
with something).
– We will return to this in the quantum mechanics part of the course.
● In this chapter we will consider some of the wave
characteristics of light.
● Diffraction
● Interference
Before considering light, we will look at water waves.
of the light.
● This effect is called diffraction.
● If the size of the gap is large compared with λ, then it appears that the wave is simply
vac
=
n
Young’s Double-Slit Interference Experiment
● If light is made to pass through two parallel thin slits, one sees an
'interference pattern' on the other side.
● This is caused by a combination of diffraction and the principal
of superposition of waves.
Analyzing the Double-Slit Experiment
∆r = dsinθ m = mλ m = 0,1,2,3,... m
Bright and Dark Fringes in the Double-Slit Experiment
Using the small angle approximation gives:
● Note that the bright fringes have equal spacings between them and the dark
fringes lie half-way between the bright fringes.
The Diffraction Grating
● Consider next what happens if there are many slits, instead of just two.
● There would be many possible interference effects to consider.
dark regions.
The Intensity Pattern Due to a Diffraction Grating
The Fringes Become Very Narrow as the Number of
Slits is Increased
A practical application – the spectrometer
●
Another common place
where interference effects are
observed is near surfaces
coated with a thin film of a
substance.
● The general idea is shown
here.
Phase Changes Due to Reflection
● When a wave is reflected from a
boundary, the phase of the reflected
wave depends upon the relative sizes
of the refractive indices.
● If t is the thickness of the thin film:
Single-Slit Diffraction
Light passing through a narrow slit spreads out beyond the slit.
One can also get an interference pattern from such a single slit.
Analyzing Single-Slit Diffraction
Ray Optics [ch 18]
● In this chapter we will learn the 'ray model
of light'. We will consider
● Reflection
● Refraction
● Mirrors and lenses.
● In all of this we are thinking of light as
something that travels in a straight line
unless it crosses into a different material.
● Note that this is not true is any apertures are
close in size to the wavelength of the light.
Seeing Objects – defining point and extended sources
Seeing a point or extended source Seeing an object by
scattered light
mirror
S =S '
●We call P' the
image of the
object. Since
no light rays
actually
originate from
P', we call this a
virtual image.
Refraction
●Refraction occurs when light passes from one material into another that has
a different refractive index.
Snell’s Law of Refraction
Total Internal Reflection
internal reflection.
So where would the image appear due to
refraction?
● Your eye assumes that
light travels in a straight
line. So to locate a virtual
image:
● Trace the rays back as
n2
s′ = s
n1
Thin Lenses and Ray Tracing
● The magnification of
the lens is given by
s'
m=−
s
● The magnitude of m
is also given by h'/h.
Ray Tracing: Virtual Images (s < f)
Three Important Sets of Rays: Diverging Lenses
Spherical Mirrors and Ray Tracing
Slide 18-35
Three Sets of Special Rays for a Concave Mirror
A Real Image Formed by a Concave Mirror
Three Sets of Special Rays for a Convex Mirror
Ray Tracing for a Convex Mirror
The Thin-Lens Equation and sign convention for
lenses/mirrors
Optical instruments [ch 19]
● In this chapter we will use some of the material
from the previous two chapters to investigate
some common optical instruments.
● Camera
● Human eye
● Magnifier
● Microscope
● Telescope
The Camera
L 25 cm
M = mo Me = −
fo fe
The Telescope
θe fo
M = =−
θo fe
Color and Dispersion
Rainbows
Lens Aberrations: Spherical Aberration
1.22λ
θ 1=
D
The Resolution of a Microscope
0.61λ0
Resolving power RP = dmin =
NA
Optical and Electron Micrographs of e. coli