Young would be proud

Classical Mechanics Level 3

In a double slit arrangment, one of the slits is covered by a lightly translucent sheet, the bright fringe becomes _ _ _ _ _ brighter, and the dark fringe becomes _ _ _ _ darker.

more,more less,less less,more more,less

1 solution

Michael Mendrin
May 28, 2018

Let's say that some fraction $p$ of the light passing through one slit is scattered by the partially translucent sheet. Then that fraction $1-p$ of the light from each of the slits will create the interference pattern at $1-p$ of the intensity as before. That fraction $p$ of the light from both slits do not interfere, but creates a relatively uniform distribution of light (depending on the scattering characteristics of the partially translucent sheet). This is added to the interference pattern. This will make the dark areas less dark. Since the light in that fraction $p$ has been re-distributed uniformly, in those brightest areas in fraction $1-p$ the light is not fully restored, so the bright areas become less bright.

Young would be proud

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