Starter

Glass type 2
n = 1.52
air

1. After making some

45⁰ calculations draw and label a
Glass type 1 sketch to show what happens
n = 1.55 to the ray shown in the glass
block [3]
2. The second glass block is now pressed tightly
into contact with the first block. What happens to
the ray now? Explain what has happened. Support
your answer with a calculation [3]
 Answers
1. A quick calculation shows that 45º is greater than the critical angle and so
total internal reflection should take place. The sketch should show an arrowed
ray being completely reflected at 45⁰ to the normal (by eye) [1]
The critical angle is sin-1 (1/1.55) = 40⁰ [2] {M = 1 A = 1 }
2. The ray now leaves the first block and enters the second [1]
Explanation – the critical angle for the two blocks is large compared with the glass-air
boundary [1] The value of the critical angle for the two blocks in close contact is 79⁰ [2]
1.55sinθc = 1.52sin90⁰, so sinθc = 1.52/1.55, θc = 79⁰
Application is in optical fibres used for communication to reject rays that have long
signal paths because they are not travelling directly along the fibre [1]
 Excellent applets for
• Have a look at these
• This is superb too!
Waves and phase
A reminder
• As a wave passes through a medium the particles
oscillate about their equilibrium position.
 Phase relations

A A

Displacemen
O
Time

t
B B
A B

The particles in the medium perform one oscillation per wave cycle.
One oscillation is equivalent to going once around a circle i.e. through
3600. One wave cycle is therefore equivalent to 3600 of phase.
 O

A A

Displacemen
O
Time

t
B B
A B

Where is the orange point relative to the start of

the wave cycle?
No. of wavelengths: ¼ λ
Angle in degrees 900
 O

A A

Displacemen
O
Time

t
B B
A B

Where is the orange point relative to the start of

the wave cycle?
No. of wavelengths: ½ λ
Angle in degrees 1800
 O

A A

Displacemen
O
Time

t
B B
A B

Where is the orange point relative to the start of

the wave cycle?
No. of wavelengths: ¾ λ
Angle in degrees 2700
 O

A A

Displacemen
O
Time

t
B B
A B

When one full wave cycle is complete the particles

have passed through 3600 phase. We can describe
the phase difference between two identical points
as 00 or 3600, they are equivalent.
Converting to/from radians
You must be able to convert between radians and degrees.
Key points: there are 2 radians in 360 which is a full wave cycle.
So 2 phase is equivalent to a full wave-cycle.

𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠
𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠= 0
×2𝜋
36 0
𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑖𝑛𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 0
𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠= × 36 0
2𝜋
Why radians?

If the angle, θ, is
measured in radians
then the s = rθ.

Calculating arc lengths

in degrees is trickier so
radians simplify the
mathematics of waves
(and circular motion).
Converting to/from radians
Key conversions to remember:
Phase allows us to describe the relationship between
different points on a wave. What is the phase difference
in degrees and radians between:

N
L&
O
M &
&NPO
MP
N
L O

M N
Displacement

Time
Measuring phase difference
As well as comparing points
on the same wave, phase
allows us to compare two or
more waves.

If two waves are shifted by a d

distance d relative to each

other the phase difference is
Constant phase relationship

In phase
Constant phase relationship

In phase

Antiphase
A phase difference of π
OR 1800
Constant phase relationship

In phase

Antiphase
A phase difference of π
OR 1800

Out of phase
A phase difference of
π/2 OR 900
 Non-constant phase
relationship

Occurs when two waves with different frequencies

superpose.
Questions on phase
• Draw two waves with a phase difference of:
– 900
– π radians
– 450
– 2π radians
– π radians
– 5400
Phase Recap Questions
𝜋
Answer phase questions in radians5 𝑟𝑎𝑑
1. Two points on a wave are apart. What is their phase difference?
2. What type of wave is sound?
𝐿𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑡𝑖𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀𝑒𝑐h𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙
3. Describe the motion of air particles as one full cycle of a sound wave
travels through them.
4. A sound wave has a wavelength of 34cm. What is the10 phase
𝜋 difference
between two points 100mm apart? =1.85 rad
17
5. How far apart are two points with a phase difference of rad on a radio
wave of frequency 90MHz?
6. Two points on a sound wave are 8.5mm
0.42m apart and have a phase
difference of rad. The wave has a frequency of 10kHz, what is the wave
speed?
340ms-1
The Principle of Superposition
Superposition of waves – when waves overlap the total displacement is
the vector sum of the displacements caused by the individual waves.
Superposition visualised
https://youtu.be/hw3HkZ77iG4
Interference
When two waves superpose to produce
a a greater or lesser amplitude.
Constructive and destructive interference

Combined
waveform

Wave 2
Wave 1
Waves in phase Waves in
leads to antiphase leads to
constructive destructive
interference interference
Coherence
Waves that have the same frequency and a constant
phase difference.
Path Difference and Phase Difference
Whether two waves of the same wavelength interfere constructively or
destructively depends on the phase difference.

𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇 =𝒏 
𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇 =𝟐 𝝅 𝒏
If the path length difference is an even number of half wavelengths the
waves are in phase and constructive interference occurs.
𝟏
𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇 =(𝒏+ ) 
𝟐
𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒇𝒇 =(𝟐 𝒏+𝟏) 𝝅
If the path length difference is an odd number of half wavelengths the
waves are in antiphase and destructive interference occurs.
Multiple source interference
patterns
Multiple coherent sources of
waves will result in an
interference pattern with
alternating regions of constructive
and destructive interference.

Applet
Thin film interference
Light reflected
from the bottom
surface travels 2t
further than light
from the top
surface.
The light reflected from the top and bottom surface of the film
superpose and different wavelengths will
destructively/constructively interfere depending on the thickness
of the film.
Thin film interference
Thin film interference – Natural Examples
Thin film interference – Other Examples
Thin-Film Interference for Thickness
Measurement
A variety of applications
require the
measurement of thin
layers (e.g. making
semiconductors for
electronic devices). This
can be done using
devices that take
advantage of thin film
interference.
Look at the diagram
of the cuticles on a
Blue Morpho
butterfly. Why do
you think the blue
colour is reflected
so strongly?

How to make colour with holes

(Video)
CDs
Recap - Anti-reflective coatings
Look at the diagram to the right.
Explain using key terms how the
anti-reflective coating reduces
the intensity of reflected light.