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Chapter 27: Q4CQ (page 994)

Under what conditions can light be modeled like a ray? Like a wave?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Light may be described both as a wave and as a ray.

Step by step solution

01

Concept Introduction

Conditions that describe that the light can be modeled as a wave, a ray, or both of them, completely depend on the properties it depicts.

02

Explanation

Light may be portrayed in two ways in our scenario.

In the first case, light can be modeled to be a ray, when the object size is substantially larger than the light's wavelength, the diffraction effect will be negligible.

In the second method, the light can be modeled as a wave, when the aperture or object size is equivalent to the wavelength of light and we can see a beautiful diffraction pattern.

The best example, where the light can be modeled as a ray is described in the photoelectric effect, which resulted in a Nobel Prize in Physics in the year of 1921.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Red light of wavelength of 700 nm falls on a double slit separated by 400 nm. (a) At what angle is the first-order maximum in the diffraction pattern? (b) What is unreasonable about this result? (c) Which assumptions are unreasonable or inconsistent?

Analysis of an interference effect in clear solid shows that the wavelength of light in the solid is392nm. Knowing this light comes from a He-Ne laser and has a wavelength ofrole="math" localid="1654057129736" 633nm in air, is the substance zircon or diamond?

(a) The planet Pluto and its Moon Charon are separated by \(19,600{\rm{ }}km\). Neglecting atmospheric effects, should the \(5.08 - m\)-diameter Mount Palomar telescope be able to resolve these bodies when they are \(4.50 \times {10^9}{\rm{ }}km\) from Earth? Assume an average wavelength of \(550{\rm{ }}nm\).

(b) In actuality, it is just barely possible to discern that Pluto and Charon are separate bodies using an Earth-based telescope. What are the reasons for this?

An electric current through hydrogen gas produces several distinct wavelengths of visible light. What are the wavelengths of the hydrogen spectrum, if they form first-order maxima at angles of24.2∘,25.7∘,29.1∘,and41.0∘when projected on a diffraction grating having10,000lines per centimeter? Explicitly show how you follow the steps in Problem-Solving Strategies for Wave Optics.

As the width of the slit producing a single-slit diffraction pattern is reduced, how will the diffraction pattern produce change?

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