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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

AP Physics B - Multiple Choice Practice Questions on Physical Optics



“One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others.”
– Lewis Carroll

Today we shall discuss a few typical multiple choice questions on physical optics:

Questions  (1) and (2) are based on the following statement:

A beam of monochromatic light having wave length λ, frequency f and intensity I in air enters a glass slab of refractive index 1.5. After traveling through the slab, the beam of light emerges through the opposite face of the slab and passes through air.

(1) Inside the slab the wave length and frequency of the light are respectively 

(a) 1.5 λ and 1.5 f

(b) λ/1.5 and f

(c) 1.5 λ and f

(d) λ and f

(e)  λ and 1.5 f

The frequency of the light is unchanged where as the speed of the light is decreased within the slab. Note that the refractive index of a medium is the ratio of the speed of light in free space (or air at ordinary pressures) to the speed in the medium. Therefore, the speed of light (v) in the glass slab is given by

            v = c/1.5 where ‘c’ is the speed of light in free space (or air).

The wave length λ, frequency f and speed v are related as

            v = f λ  

Or,       λ = v/f

Since the speed in glass is (1/1.5) times the speed in air, the wave length in glass is (1/1.5) times the wave length in air [Option (b)].

(2) The energy of the photons in glass is

(a) 1.5 times the energy in air

(b) 1/1.5 times the energy in air

(c) the same as the energy in air

(d) 3 times the energy in air

(e) 1/3 times the energy in air

The energy E of a photon is given by

             E = hf where h is Planck’s constant and f is the frequency. Since the frequency of the light is the same in both air and glass, the energy of the photons in glass is the same as the energy in air [Option (c)].

(3) White light is passing through a transparent plastic slab. Inside the slab

(a) the green component  travels with maximum speed

(b) the green component  travels with minimum speed

(c) the violet component  travels with maximum speed

(d) the red component  travels with maximum speed

(e) all components travel with the same speed

The refractive index of any transparent medium is maximum for light of violet colour and minimum for light of red colour.

[This is why violet rays are deviated most and red rays are deviated least while traveling through a glass prism, producing dispersion of white light].

The speed of light (v) in the plastic slab is given by

            v = c/n where ‘c’ is the speed of light in free space (or air) and n is the refractive inex of the slab.

Since the refractive index is the least for light of red colour, it follows that red component  travels with maximum speed [Option (d)].

(4) In an experiment with Young’s double slit, a student measures the intensity of the central maximum of the interference pattern as I. If one of the slits is covered, what will be the intensity at the position of the central maximum?

(a) I/2

(b) I/4

(c) I/(2)

(d) I

(e) 2I

When both slits are open, suppose the resultant amplitude (of light wave) at the position of the central maximum is a. If one of the slits is covered, the amplitude at the position of the central maximum becomes a/2.

Intensity is directly proportional to the square of the amplitude. Therefore we have

            I α a2 and

            I1 α (a/2)2

 Therefore I1 = I/4, as given in option (b).

(5) Four laser sources produce light waves y1, y2, y3, and y4 given (with usual notations) by

             y1 = a sin ωt

             y2 = a sin 2ωt

             y3 = 2a sin (ωt + φ)

             y4 = 2a sin (3ωt + φ)                                                               

Superposition of which two waves can produce interference fringes?

(a) y1 and y2

(b) y2 and y3

(c) y3 and y4

(d) y1 and y4

(e) y1 and y3

Waves y1 and y3 have the same wave length and hence they can produce interference fringes.

[The angular frequencies of y1 and y3 are equal].

The correct option is (e).

You will find a few useful multiple choice questions in this section here.

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