Timeline for Why can bright and dark fringes form with white light?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
9 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 21, 2017 at 8:09 | vote | accept | John | ||
| Apr 20, 2017 at 20:10 | comment | added | Farcher | Yes and what also have to do is to make sure the divergent laser beam illuminates both slits. | |
| Apr 20, 2017 at 16:58 | comment | added | John | Ok then. So is the reason why we can shine a laser directly at the double slits because it acts as a point source? | |
| Apr 20, 2017 at 16:34 | comment | added | Farcher | Each light of each wavelength produces its own interference pattern. You see the results of all these patterns on top of one another. | |
| Apr 20, 2017 at 16:12 | comment | added | John | And so the single slit does NOT make a light source monochromatic. All frequencies emitted from e.g. a white light bulb still make it through the single slit, and so the interference pattern is a result of all these difference frequencies. | |
| Apr 20, 2017 at 16:08 | comment | added | John | So the single slit is necessary so that the light directed onto the double slits is from a point source. Am I right in thinking that, as we now have a white light point source, the phase difference between the two double slits is constant as a result. | |
| Apr 20, 2017 at 15:56 | comment | added | Farcher | The single slit is to produce light from a point source and it produces a diffraction pattern which covers the double slit and so both slits act a sources. If the single slit is made wider then the double slit fringes become less distinct. | |
| Apr 20, 2017 at 15:49 | comment | added | John | Thanks for your quick response! What is the need for a single slit? Non laser light must be directed through a single slit before a double slit, but for what purpose? For example light from a filament lamp has to be directed through a single slit before the double in order for an interference pattern to form, it can't just be directed through a double slit | |
| Apr 20, 2017 at 15:35 | history | answered | Farcher | CC BY-SA 3.0 |