Wave Optics

Interference, diffraction, polarisation and wave behaviour of light.

1.Introduction to Wave Optics
A simple introduction to wave optics and how the wave nature of light helps explain interference, diffraction and polarisation.
2.Wave Nature of Light
Understand why light behaves like a wave and how this explains many natural optical phenomena.
3.Principle of Superposition
Learn how two or more waves overlap and combine to form a new wave pattern.
4.Interference of Light
A simple explanation of how light waves add or cancel each other to produce bright and dark fringes.
5.Young’s Double Slit Experiment (YDSE)
Understand the famous experiment that showed the wave nature of light using two narrow slits.
6.Coherent and Incoherent Sources
Learn the difference between coherent and incoherent light sources and why coherence is essential for sustained interference.
7.Diffraction of Light
Understand diffraction, the bending and spreading of light waves around obstacles and openings.
8.Single Slit Diffraction
Learn how light spreads when passing through a single narrow slit and forms a diffraction pattern.
9.Diffraction Grating
Understand how a grating with many slits produces sharper and brighter diffraction patterns.
10.Polarisation of Light
A simple explanation of how polarisation blocks certain vibrations of light and how polarised sunglasses work.
11.Methods of Polarisation
Learn different ways to polarise light such as reflection, refraction and using polaroid filters.
12.Brewster’s Law
Understand Brewster’s law and how completely polarised light is obtained by reflection at a special angle.
13.Malus’s Law
Learn how the intensity of polarised light changes when it passes through an analyser.
14.Huygens’ Principle
Understand how Huygens' principle explains reflection, refraction and wavefront propagation.
15.Wavefront and Rays
Learn what wavefronts are and how they help describe the direction and behaviour of light waves.
16.Applications of Wave Optics
Real-life and scientific applications of wave optics in instruments, communication and optical technologies.