27.1 The Wave Aspect of Light: Interference

27.1 The Wave Aspect of Light: Interference

• Examine a compact disc under white light to observe the colors.
• If the spectrum is formed from lines centered at the middle of the disc, what is the spacing of the lines?
• Determine the type of spacing.
• Knowing the spacing of the rows of pits in the compact disc will allow you to estimate the maximum amount of information that can be stored.

• The light reflected from a compact disc and the colors seen in an oil slick are the same.
• The dispersion of white light into a rainbow of colors can't be explained by geometric optics.
• Light interacts with small objects.
• When light interacts with small objects, it's called wave optics, which is a branch of physical optics.
• This is the topic of the chapter.

• The soap bubbles are exposed to sunlight.

• We know that visible light is a type of wave that our eyes respond to.

• The visible wavelength range is between 400 and 760 nm.
• Light travels in straight lines and acts like a ray when it interacts with large objects.
• It displays its wave characteristics when interacting with smaller objects.
• The observatory emits a laser beam that travels in a straight line.