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We can understand the general principle of Youngs experiment by a basic geometrical argument.

Let us assume that our source produces a monochromatic (single-frequency) wave which hits the two slits at the same time, i.e. so that the peaks of the wave arrive at the the two slits simultaneously. The two waves are then said to be in phase with one another. As a reminder, a snapshot of monochromatic wave traveling along a string Looking at light which travels to point 1 on the measurement screen, light coming from pinhole Q has to travel farther than light coming from pinhole P; therefore light from Q has a phase lag associated with it relative to the light at point P. Light traveling to point 3 results in the opposite case: light from P has a phase lag associated with it relative to the light at point Q. The distance between each pinhole and point 2 is the same, so the light arrives at that point with the same phase. CONSIDERATION
Optical interference is being studied for futuristic considerations. The science of holography, producing three-dimensional images with laser beams and mirrors, creates interference fringes that becomes a hologram. When laser light waves pass through a hologram, they produce a a three-dimensional image. As the study of light interference relates to careers, optical engineers have futures in aerospace mission systems, astronomy, and satellite optical sub-systems. TYPES There are two basic types of optical interference. Constructive Interference occurs when two or more waves come together to form a larger and stronger wave, matching their crests (tops of waves) and troughs (lowest points of waves). The two waves' crests and troughs coincide. With constructive interference, wave amplitude is amplified because there are two coinciding crests and troughs, which increase amplitude. When each waves continues on, they return to their original amplitudes. Destructive Interference occurs when two or more wave's crests coincide with the waves' troughs. The result is that the waves cancel each other out. Their amplitudes weaken until they continue and resume normal amplitude FUNCTIONS Optical interference occurs when two or more waves come together. The result of two or more waves coming together is a dark or light band called a fringe. In Thomas Young's Double-Slit Experiment, he made sunlight pass through long parallel slits. The result was "interference fringes," or bands of color. When artificial, monochromatic light is used, the bands are dark and white. One way to see how interference of light functions, is with soap bubbles. When monochromatic (not sunlight) light passes through the thin film of a soap bubble, the wave reflects from the top and bottom surfaces of the bubble. This creates constructive and destructive interference, which gives the prismatic colors one sees in bubbles.

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