In a Michelson interferometer, what happens to the interference pattern if one of the mirrors is moved?

1 question

1 item

Q: In a Michelson interferometer, what happens to the interference pattern if one of the mirrors is moved?

Solution: Moving one of the mirrors changes the path length of one beam, causing a shift in the interference pattern.

Steps: 6

Step 1: Understand that a Michelson interferometer splits a light beam into two paths using a beam splitter.
Step 2: Each path reflects off a mirror and then returns to the beam splitter.
Step 3: When the two beams combine again at the beam splitter, they create an interference pattern of light and dark fringes.
Step 4: If you move one of the mirrors, it changes the distance that one of the light beams travels.
Step 5: This change in distance alters the phase of the light beam that traveled that path.
Step 6: As a result, the way the two beams combine changes, leading to a shift in the interference pattern.