In thin film interference, what happens to the colors observed when the thickness of the film increases?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
In thin film interference, what happens to the colors observed when the thickness of the film increases?
Colors become brighter
Colors change
Colors disappear
Colors remain the same
As the thickness of the film increases, the path difference changes, leading to a change in the observed colors due to interference.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: In thin film interference, what happens to the colors observed when the thickness of the film increases?
Solution: As the thickness of the film increases, the path difference changes, leading to a change in the observed colors due to interference.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand that thin film interference occurs when light waves reflect off the top and bottom surfaces of a thin film.
Step 2: Recognize that when light waves reflect, they can interfere with each other, either reinforcing (constructive interference) or canceling each other out (destructive interference).
Step 3: Know that the thickness of the film affects the path difference between the two reflected light waves.
Step 4: Realize that as the thickness of the film increases, the path difference changes, which alters how the light waves interfere with each other.
Step 5: Observe that this change in interference leads to different colors being seen, as different wavelengths (colors) of light will constructively or destructively interfere at different thicknesses.
