Two identical light waves, propagating in the same direction, have a phase difference δ. After they superpose the intensity of the resulting wave will be proportional to

Question

Two identical light waves, propagating in the same direction, have a phase difference δ. After they superpose the intensity of the resulting wave will be proportional to (A) cos δ (B) cos (δ /2) (C) cos2 (δ/2) (D) cos2δ

Tardigrade Admin · Accepted Answer

Maximum intensity, I=4I0 cos2 ((δ/2)) ⇒ I propto cos2 ((δ/2))

Q. Two identical light waves, propagating in the same direction, have a phase difference $δ$ . After they superpose the intensity of the resulting wave will be proportional to

$cos δ$

$cos (δ /2)$

$co s^{2} (δ /2)$

$co s^{2} δ$

Maximum intensity,
$I = 4 I_{0} co s^{2} (\frac{δ}{2})$
$\Rightarrow I \propto co s^{2} (\frac{δ}{2})$

Q. Two identical light waves, propagating in the same direction, have a phase difference δ. After they superpose the intensity of the resulting wave will be proportional to

cosδ

cos(δ/2)

cos2(δ/2)

cos2δ