Physics Weekly

Class Pages

Chapter 29: Light Waves
Physics
Marymount High School
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Physics Syllabus

Homework Chart

Judith S. de Nuño
jdenuno@mhs-la.org
Office Hours
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Chapter Objectives:

  • Explain why, after passing through a narrow opening, water waves have curved wave fronts.
  • Describe the causes of visible diffraction of waves.
  • Describe the causes of visible bright and dark interference fringes of light.
  • Describe Young's interference experiment.
  • Explain the causes of the bright and dark bands that appear when monochromatic light is reflected from a thin material.
  • Explain why colors shine from soap bubbles and gasoline slicks on a wet surface.
  • Describe how laser light is different from light from an ordinary lamp.
  • Explain how holograms are formed.

Chapter Terms:

  • Huygen's principle
  • diffraction
  • interference
  • polarization
  • hologram

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Chapter Outline Framework:

  • Huygen's Principle
  • Diffraction
  • Interference
    • Single-color Thin Film Interference
    • Interference Colors by Reflection from THin Films
  • Polarization
    • Three-Dimensional Viewing
  • Holography

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Animated Graphics Courtesy of
Jo's World