3B Wave Motion II Chapter 6 Wave Nature of Light and Electromagnetic Waves

6 Wave Nature of Light and Electromagnetic

Waves
Practice 6.1 (p.114)
1 C  Path difference at the nth dark fringe
2 (a) The pattern consists of a series of evenly
=
spaced dark and bright fringes.
(b) The light waves diffract when passing 5 D
through the two slits. The diffracted 6 C
waves from the two slits interfere and Greater number of lines per cm
form the pattern. The points of  smaller grating spacing d
constructive interference correspond to  larger fringe separation / larger 
the bright fringes, while the points of Red light
destructive interference correspond to  longer wavelength 
the dark fringes.  larger fringe separation / larger 
7 D
Practice 6.2 (p.133) When the original grating is used, the angular
1 C position  of the second-order bright fringe is
2 A given by:
3 C m sin  = 2

By Δy = ,  sin  =

D= where m is the grating spacing and  is the

wavelength of light.
= The distance d from the central bright fringe is
given by:
= 0.60 m
tan  =
The distance between the screen and the
double slit is about 0.60 m.  d = D tan 
4 A where D is the distance between the grating
Path difference at the 1st dark fringe and the screen.
= 0.5 When the new grating is used, the angular
Path difference at the 2nd dark fringe position   of the second-order bright fringe
= 1.5 is given by:
Path difference at the 3rd dark fringe sin   = 2
= 2.5
 sin   = = 2 sin 

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3B Wave Motion II Chapter 6 Wave Nature of Light and Electromagnetic Waves

 A and B are incorrect. =

When the new grating is used, the distance d 
from the central bright fringe is given by: = 4.33  106 m
The wavelength is 4.33  106 m.
tan   =
12 (a) By d sin  = n,
 d  = D tan   =  tan    2d d=

 C is incorrect. =
When the new grating is used, the angular
position   of the 1st-order bright fringe is = 3.34  106 m
given by: The grating spacing is 3.34  106 m.
(b) By d sin  = n, when n = 2,
sin   = 1
sin  =
 sin   = = sin 
=
   = 
 D is correct.  = 20.7
8 (a) From about 400 nm to 700 nm Angle between the second-order and
(b) Red light has the longest wavelength third-order diffracted beams
while violet light has the shortest = 32  20.7
wavelength. = 11.3
9 No, as the two light sources are not coherent,
13 (a) Δy = = = 0.0022
an observable interference pattern cannot be
produced. m
10 Light of different colours produces bright Separation between the 4th-order bright
fringes at different positions. Using fringe and the central bright fringe
monochromatic light can avoid different = 4  Δy
coloured bright fringes overlapping each = 4  0.0022
other. Therefore, a sharp and clear = 0.0088 m
interference pattern can be observed. (b) Path difference = 4
11 Fringe separation y = = 4  550  109
= 2.2  106 m
= 0.008 m
14 (a) By d sin  = n,
By Δy = ,
n=

=


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3B Wave Motion II Chapter 6 Wave Nature of Light and Electromagnetic Waves

(iii) Decrease
=
(b) (i) According to Δy = , Δy

= 5.38 decreases when a increases.

The highest order of fringe is 5. (ii) According to Δy = , Δy
(b) Any one of the following:
Use a grating with larger grating increases when D increases.

spacing. (iii) Blue light has a shorter wavelength

Use monochromatic light of shorter than red light. According to

wavelength. Δy = , Δy decreases when 

15 (a) tan  = decreases

  = 34.5 18 (a) By d sin  = n,

The angular position of the third-order n =

maximum is 34.5.
(b) By d sin  = n, =
=
= 3.01  3
= The order of the diffracted beam is 3.
(b) By d sin  = n,
= 5.90  107 m n =
The wavelength is 5.90  10 m. 7

16 (a) The diffracted light waves from the two 

slits interfere. Bright fringes are formed
at the points of constructive interference. =
(b) Any one of the following:
Use a double slit with smaller slit = 7.69
separation. The highest order of fringe is 7 but not 3.
Use light of longer wavelength.
Increase the distance between the screen Practice 6.3 (p.147)
and the double slit. 1 C
(c) According to Δy = , Δy increases 2 C
3 B
when  increases, D increases or a
(1): Both infra-red radiation and ultra-violet
decreases.
radiation are invisible.
17 (a) (i) Decrease
(ii) Increase

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3B Wave Motion II Chapter 6 Wave Nature of Light and Electromagnetic Waves

(2): Both infra-red radiation and ultra-violet =

radiation are components of sunlight.
4 C =
5 Radio waves have the longest wavelength
while gamma rays have the shortest = 0.004 s
wavelength.
6 Radio waves are used to transmit TV signals Revision exercise 6
to the building. Concept traps (p.153)
Infra-red radiation is used by the remote 1 F
control to transmit control signals to the Some electromagnetic waves, e.g. radio
television. waves, have long wavelengths.
Visible light emitted by the television 2 T
produces the image. 3 F
7 Distance between the object and the station 4 F
= speed  time For example, visible lights of different colours
travel at different speeds in glass.
= 3.00  108 
5 F
= 12 750 m
8 Distance between the galaxy and the earth Multiple-choice questions (p.153)
= speed  time 6 D
= 3.00  108  61  106  365  24  60  7 D
60 8 B
= 5.77  1023 m Distance between the radar and the object
9 Apply v = f. = speed  time
When f = 582 MHz, = 3.00  108 
= = = 0.515 m
= 2700 m
When f = 590 MHz, 9 D
According to v = f, light of lower frequency
= = = 0.508 m
has a longer wavelength. When it passes
 The broadcasting wavelength of HD Jade through a single slit, its diffraction pattern
ranges from 0.508 m to 0.515 m. spreads out more.
10 (a) High frequency radio waves have short 10 A
wavelengths. Therefore, they cannot The angular position  of the first-order fringe
pass the obstacles on the earth’s surface is given by
efficiently by diffraction. tan  =
(b) Time taken for the transmission

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  = 15.77 = 0.13 m
By d sin  = n, For the first-order fringe of 700-nm light,
=
sin  = = = 0.28

=
  = 16.3
Distance from the central fringe
= 5.13  107 m
= 0.8  tan 16.3
= 513 nm
= 0.23 m
The wavelength of the laser light is 513 nm.
Width of the first-order spectrum
11 B
= 0.23  0.13
12 B
= 0.10 m
13 D
= 10 cm
Apply d sin  = n.
15 B
(1): According to d sin  = n, sin  is directly
For the first-order maximum,
proportional to  while  is not.
(2):
sin  = = = 0.165
When grating X is used, the angular position 
of the 3rd-order maximum is given by:
  = 9.50
d sin  = 3
For the second-order maximum,
 sin  =
sin  = = 0.33
where d is the grating spacing of X and  is
the wavelength of light.
  = 19.27
When grating Y is used, the angular position
Angle between the first-order maximum and
  of the 1st-order maximum is given by:
second-order maximum
= 19.27  9.50  sin   = 1

= 9.77
 sin   = = sin 
14 A
Apply d sin  = n. =
For the first-order fringe of 400-nm light, (3):
When grating X is used, the angular position 
sin  = = = 0.16 of the 2nd-order maximum is given by:
d sin  = 2
  = 9.21
 sin  =
Distance from the central fringe
= 0.8  tan 9.21

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3B Wave Motion II Chapter 6 Wave Nature of Light and Electromagnetic Waves

When grating Y is used, the angular position The diffracted microwaves from the slits
  of the 2nd-order maximum is given by: interfere. 1A
 sin   = 2 The peaks in the graph correspond to the
positions where constructive interference
 sin   = 3  = 3 sin  occurs. 1A
(b) The path difference at Q is 2.
    3
2 = 25  21 1M
16 (HKALE 2011 Paper 2 Q13)
  = 2 cm 1A
17 (HKDSE 2012 Paper 1A Q17)
The wavelength of the microwaves is
18 (HKDSE 2012 Paper 1A Q20)
2 cm.
19 (HKDSE 2013 Paper 1A Q23)
(c)

Conventional questions (p.155)

20 (a) By v = f, 1M

= = = 3.32 m 1A (c)

The wavelength of the radio waves is

3.32 m.
(b) (i) Infra-red radiation 1A (Larger distance between peaks) 1A

(ii) Radio waves 1A 23 (a) By Δy = , 1M

21 (a) Grating spacing d
=
=

= 2.5  106 m 1A =
(b) By d sin  = n, 1M
= 3.5  107 m 1A
sin  = = The wavelength of light is 3.5  10 m. 7

(b) (i) Fringe separation Δy

  = 29.2 1A
=
The angle of diffraction of the 2nd-order
maximum is 29.2.
=
(c) By d sin  = n,

n=  = = 4.101M = 0.000 875 m

= 0.875 mm 1A
The highest order of maximum is 4. 1A (ii) When the screen is farther away,
(d) Use light of shorter wavelength. 1A each fringe formed becomes wider
22 (a) Diffraction occurs when microwaves while the same amount of light is
passes through slits X and Y. 1A distributed over the fringe. 1A

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3B Wave Motion II Chapter 6 Wave Nature of Light and Electromagnetic Waves

Therefore, the bright fringes The screen should be placed at a suitable

become dimmer. 1A distance (12 m).
24 (a) 3.00  10 m s8 1 1A If a filament lamp is used as the light
(b) The camera emits infra-red pulses to the source, make sure that the filament is
target and receives the pulses reflected parallel to the slits.
from the target. 1A (Or other reasonable answers)
The time t between the emission and the (b) The pattern consists of evenly spaced
detection of the infra-red pulses is dark and bright fringes. 1A
measured. 1A The diffracted light waves from the two
The distance d of the target can be slits interfere to produce the pattern. 1A
computed by d = c  where c is the The points of constructive interference
correspond to the bright fringes, while
speed of light. 1A the points of destructive interference
(c) (i) The dull black object is a good correspond to the dark fringes. 1A
absorber of radiation. 1A (c) The fringe separation would decrease.
It absorbs the infra-red pulses and 1A
therefore no pulse is reflected back (d) Blue light has a shorter wavelength than
to the camera. 1A yellow light. 1A
(ii) The infra-red pulses are reflected
According to Δy = , 1A
by the mirror. 1A
As your image is behind the mirror, when wavelength  decreases, fringe
the distance of your image is not separation Δy decreases.
determined correctly. 1A (e) Fringe separation Δy
25 (a) Electromagnetic waves consist of =
varying electric and magnetic fields.
1A =
(b) Electromagnetic waves can travel in a
vacuum. 1A = 0.003933D 1M
(c) S, R, Q, P 1A Let n be an order of maxima observed
(d) P: infra-red radiation 1A within an angle of 2.
S: ultra-violet radiation 1A n  Δy  D  tan 2
(e) Q 1A n = 8.88 1M
26 (a) Any one of the following: 1A
Total number of maxima observed
The laboratory should be blacked out.
=8+1+8
All slits should be as narrow as possible.
= 17 1A
The slit separation should be very small.
27 (a) By v = f, 1M

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3B Wave Motion II Chapter 6 Wave Nature of Light and Electromagnetic Waves

and interfere constructively. 1A

f= = = 6.25  1014 Hz1A
(ii) Fringe separation Δy
The frequency is 6.25  10 Hz. 14
= = 1.33 mm 1M
(b) By d sin  = n,
By Δy = , 1M
n=  = = 5.951M
=
The highest order of fringe is 5. 1A
(c) (i) By d sin  = n, 1M =

= 6.3  107 m 1A
sin  = = =
The wavelength is 6.3  10 m. 7

(b) (i) Separation of adjacent slits d

0.672
  = 42.2 1A = = 2  106 m 1A
The angular position is 42.2.
(ii) By d sin  = n, 1M
(ii) n = d sin 
with  = = 72 and 1M
=  0.672
n = 3, 1M
= 1M
=
Since 400    700,
=
400   700
= 6.3  107 m 1A
 2.74  n  4.8
The wavelength is 6.3  10 m. 7
 n = 3 or 4
(c) I would choose the diffraction grating
n=4= = 480 nm, which
method. 1A
is the original light. The fringe separation in the Young’s
fringes method is small and difficult to
n=3= = 640 nm 1A
measure. 1A
The wavelength is 640 nm. (Or other reasonable answers)
28 (a) (i) The light waves diffract at the slits. 29 (HKALE 2011 Paper 1 Q3)
1A 30 (HKALE 2012 Paper 2 Q2)
At the positions where bright 31 (HKDSE 2013 Paper 1B Q7)
fringes arise, the path difference
from the slits is 0, , 2…… 1A Experiment questions (p.158)
At these positions, the light waves 32 (a) Direct a laser beam to the double slit.
arrive in phase 1A 1A

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3B Wave Motion II Chapter 6 Wave Nature of Light and Electromagnetic Waves

Place the screen on the other side of the (ii) Speed =

double slit. Capture the interference
pattern on the screen. 1A =
Measure the distance D between the
= 36 m s1
screen and the double slit with the metre
= 130 km h1 1A
rule. 1A
 The car is speeding. 1A
Measure the width w of n fringes. The
fringe separation Δy is equal to . 1A

Obtain the slit separation a. By Δy =

, the wavelength  of the monochromatic

light is given by . 1A

(b) Do not direct the laser beam to the eyes.

1A
(c) The interference pattern produced by a
grating is much larger than that by a
double slit. 1A
Therefore, the fringe separation can be
measured more accurately. 1A
33 (HKALE 2010 Paper 1 Q2)
34 (HKDSE 2014 Paper 1B Q7)

Physics in article (p.159)

35 (a) Reflection 1A
(b) (i) For the 1st measurement,
distance
= speed  time 1M
= 3.00  108   300.00  109

= 45 m 1A
For the 2nd measurement,
distance
= 3.00  108   300.24  109

= 45.036 m 1A

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