How are observations of wave behaviours at a boundary between different media explained?
How is the behaviour of waves passing through apertures represented?
What happens when two waves meet at a point in space?
What can an understanding of the results of Young’s double-slit experiment reveal about the nature of light?
What evidence is there that particles possess wave-like properties such as wavelength? (NOS)
that waves travelling in two and three dimensions can be described through the concepts of wavefronts and rays
wave behaviour at boundaries in terms of reflection, refraction and transmission
wave diffraction around a body and through an aperture
wavefront-ray diagrams showing refraction and diffraction
Snell’s law, critical angle, and total internal reflection
superposition of waves and wave pulses
that double-source interference requires coherent sources
the condition for constructive interference as given by path difference = nλ
the condition for destructive interference as given by path difference = (n + 1/2 )λ
Young’s double-slit interference as given by s = λD/d where s is the separation of fringes, d is the separation of the slits, and D is the distance from the slits to the screen.
single-slit diffraction including intensity patterns as given by θ = λ/b, where b is the slit width
that the single-slit pattern modulates the double slit interference pattern
interference patterns from multiple slits and diffraction gratings as given by nλ = d sin θ.
Simulations:
Phet wave character simulation
Single slit diffraction geogebra simulation
Diffraction gratings geogebra simulation
Files to support your learning:
Presentation - Properties of Waves
Resource - Refraction and critical angle
Resource - interference questions
Presentation - Single slit diffraction
