Physics/AS Interference Of Waves Paper 1

1. Monochromatic light of wavelength 450nm passes through two parallel slits 0.30mm apart.
Bright fringes are observed on a screen 2.0m away.

How far apart are the bright fringes on the screen?

A 1.3mm B 1.5mm C 3.0mm D 6.0mm

2. A microwave transmitter is placed at a fixed distance from a flat reflecting surface, as shown.

A microwave detector is moved steadily in a straight line from X to Y. A series of maxima and minima of intensity is
obtained. The distance between adjacent maxima is 1.5cm.
What is the frequency of the microwave radiation?
A 1.0 × 108 Hz B 2.0 × 108 Hz C 1.0 × 10 10 Hz D 2.0 × 10 10 Hz

3. Monochromatic light passes through two narrow slits and produces an interference pattern on a screen some
distance away. The interference fringes are very close together.
Which change would increase the distance between the fringes?
A Increase the brightness of the light source.
B Increase the distance between the slits and the screen.
C Increase the distance between the two slits.
D Increase the frequency of the light used.

4. Sound waves of wavelength ë are emitted by a loudspeaker and pass through two slits P and Q. Two sound waves
from the slits meet at R.

What is the condition for an intensity maximum (loud sound) to be detected by a microphone at R?
A The amplitudes of the two waves at R must be the same.
B The distance PQ must be smaller than the wavelength .
C The two waves from the slits must have travelled the same distance to R.
D The two waves must be in phase at R.

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Physics/AS Interference Of Waves Paper 1

5. Coherent light passes through a double slit, producing bright and dark fringes on a screen placed parallel to the
plane of the double slit. The intensity of the light from each of the slits is initially the same.
The intensity of the light passing through one of the slits in the double slit is now increased. The frequency of the light
remains constant.
What is the effect on the appearance of the fringes on the screen?

A a B b C c D d

6. Monochromatic light is directed onto a pair of slits. Interference fringes that are 2.0mm apart are observed on a
distant screen.
The frequency of the light used is then doubled and the slit separation is halved.
How far apart are the new interference fringes?
A 0.50mm B 2.0mm C 4.0mm D 8.0mm

7. What is not an essential condition for an observable interference pattern to occur between the waves from two
sources?
A The frequencies of the two sources must be equal.
B The sources must be coherent.
C The sources must emit waves of equal amplitude.
D The waves from the two sources must overlap.

8. In a double-slit experiment the distance between the fringes, on a screen, was too small to measure.
What would increase the distance between the fringes?
A increasing the distance between the light source and the slits
B increasing the distance between the slits and the screen
C increasing the distance between the slits
D increasing the frequency of the light source

9. Wave generators at points X and Y produce water waves of the same wavelength. At point Z, the waves from X have
the same amplitude as the waves from Y. Distances XZ and YZ are as shown.

When the wave generators operate in phase, the amplitude of oscillation at Z is zero.
What could be the wavelength of the waves?
A 2cm B 3cm C 4cm D 6cm

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Physics/AS Interference Of Waves Paper 1

10. The diagram shows an experiment which has been set up to demonstrate two-source interference. Microwaves of
wavelength  pass through two slits S1 and S2.

The detector is moved from point O in the direction of the arrow. The signal detected decreases until the detector
reaches point X, and then starts to increase again as the detector moves beyond X.
Which equation correctly determines the position of X?
A OX =  B OX = /2 C S2X – S1X =  D S2X – S1X = /2

11. A student attempts to show the interference of light using two identical green LEDs.
Which statement explains why the experiement will not succeed?
A The light waves from the sources are not coherent.
B The light waves from the sources do not have the same amplitude.
C The light waves from the sources have a range of wavelengths.
D The light waves from the sources are not monochromatic.

12. Interference fringes are produced on a screen by double-slit interference using light of wavelength 600nm. The fringe
separation is 4.0mm and the separation of the slits is 0.60mm. What is the distance between the double slit and the
screen?
A 0.25m B 0.40m C 2.5m D 4.0m

13. A teacher sets up the apparatus shown to demonstrate a two-slit interference pattern on the screen.

Which change to the apparatus will increase the fringe spacing?

A decreasing the distance p C decreasing the distance r
B decreasing the distance q D decreasing the wavelength of the light

14. Light of wavelength 600nm is incident on a pair of slits. Fringes with a spacing of 4.0mm are
formed on a screen.
What will be the fringe spacing when the wavelength of the light is changed to 400nm and the
separation of the slits is doubled?
A 1.3mm B 3.0mm C 5.3mm D 12mm

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Physics/AS Interference Of Waves Paper 1

15. The diagrams show the arrangement of apparatus for a Young’s slits experiment and also part of the pattern formed
on the screen with a ruler placed next to it.

What is the wavelength of the light?

A 4.8  10–7m B 5.4  10–7m C 3.2  10–6m D 3.4  10–6 m

16. Using monochromatic light, interference fringes are produced on a screen placed a distance D
from a pair of slits of separation a. The separation of the fringes is x.
Both a and D are now doubled.
What is the new fringe separation?
x
A B x C 2x D 4x
2

17. The diagram shows two loudspeakers producing sound waves that are in phase.

As a student moves from X to Y, the intensity of the note she hears is alternately loud and quiet.
The distance between adjacent loud and quiet regions may be reduced by
A decreasing distance d. C decreasing the amplitude.
B increasing distance L. D increasing the frequency.
18. A two-slit arrangement is set up to produce interference fringes on a screen. The fringes are too close together for
convenient observation when a monochromatic source of violet light is used.
In which way would it be possible to increase the separation of the fringes?
A Decrease the distance between the screen and the slits.
B Increase the distance between the two slits.
C Increase the width of each slit.
D Use a monochromatic source of red light.

19. Fringes of separation y are observed on a screen 1.00m from a Young’s slit arrangement that is illuminated by yellow
light of wavelength 600nm.
At which distance from the slits would fringes of the same separation y be observed when using blue light of
wavelength 400nm?
A 0.33m B 0.67m C 0.75m D 1.50m

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Physics/AS Interference Of Waves Paper 1

20. In an interference experiment, two slits are illuminated with white light.

What is seen on the screen?

A The central fringe is black with black and white fringes on each side.
B The central fringe is black with coloured fringes on each side.
C The central fringe is white with black and white fringes on each side.
D The central fringe is white with coloured fringes on each side.

ANSWER KEY
1 C 11 A
2 C 12 D
3 B 13 B
4 D 14 A
5 C 15 B
6 B 16 B
7 C 17 D
8 B 18 D
9 C 19 D
10 D 20 D

Physics A-Level The Ultimate Prep with M. Arshad Chaudhry/0300-9412902