Homework Assignment #8
Waves
What you will learn from this
section
- parameters used to describe a wave
(review)
- what coherence is, and why it is important
for the interference of waves
- the difference between temporal and spatial
coherence
- how waves interfere to form larger or
smaller amplitude waves
- optics vocabulary for this
section:
- amplitude
- wavelength
- frequency
- temporal coherence
- spatial coherence
- superposition
- constructive interference (in
phase)
- destructive interference (out of
phase)
- path length difference
How to approach this material
- Read section 4, Wave Optics, from pages
62-69 (stop at the equations- we'll leave those for next
time)
- Visit these web sites for more information.
The first three give a simple slow motion introduction to
interference of waves
This site illustrates Amplitude, Wavelength
and Phase of a wave:
The "wave adder" lets you add two waves.
(read the instructions to use it- you need to type in an amplitude
and phase)
Here is an illustrated explanation of
interference.
- Do the homework problems.
If you have questions
- Send an email
- Post a question in the discussion
forum
- Talk with a mentor, or another student (we
learn best when we help each other!)
- Stop by the Virtual Classroom during posted
office hours
When you are finished
- Email your homework
to me by the due date.