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  4. Two coherent monochromatic light beams of intensities I and 4I are superposed. The maximum and minimum possible intensities in the resulting beam are

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Q. Two coherent monochromatic light beams of intensities $I$ and $4I$ are superposed. The maximum and minimum possible intensities in the resulting beam are

NTA AbhyasNTA Abhyas 2020

Solution:

To find the intensity due to interference of two waves whose intensities are know, first find the amplitude of each wave $\left(\right. \propto \sqrt{intensity}\left.\right).$ Then find the amplitude due to superposition, using the phase difference between the waves. The square of this amplitude gives the intensity due to interference.