Fundamentals of Physics Extended (10th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1-11823-072-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-11823-072-5

Chapter 35 - Interference - Problems - Page 1075: 24f

Answer

The intensity at point P is intermediate but closer to minimum.

Work Step by Step

We can find the distance from $S_1$ to $x_p$: $d_1 = \sqrt{(9.00~\lambda)^2+(20.0~\lambda)^2}$ $d_1 = 21.93~\lambda$ We can find the distance from $S_2$ to $x_p$: $d_2 = \sqrt{(3.00~\lambda)^2+(20.0~\lambda)^2}$ $d_2 = 20.22~\lambda$ We can find the path length difference: $d_1-d_2 = 1.71~\lambda$ The phase difference is $~~1.71~~$ as a multiple of $\lambda$ The intensity would be a maximum when the phase difference is an integer. The intensity would be a minimum when the phase difference is $m+0.5$ for some integer $m$. The intensity at point P is intermediate but closer to minimum.
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