In a Michelson interferometer, what happens when one of the mirrors is moved sli

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Question: In a Michelson interferometer, what happens when one of the mirrors is moved slightly?

Options:

Correct Answer: Fringes shift

Solution:

Moving one of the mirrors changes the path length, causing a shift in the interference pattern (fringes).

In a Michelson interferometer, what happens when one of the mirrors is moved slightly?

In a Michelson interferometer, what happens when one of the mirrors is moved slightly?

Correct Answer: Interference pattern shift hota hai.

Step 1: Understand that a Michelson interferometer splits a beam of light 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 light beams recombine at the beam splitter, they create an interference pattern (fringes) based on their path lengths.
Step 4: If one of the mirrors is moved slightly, it changes the distance that the light travels in that path.
Step 5: This change in distance alters the phase of the light waves when they recombine.
Step 6: As a result, the interference pattern shifts, which can be seen as a movement of the fringes.

Interference Pattern – The change in path length due to moving a mirror alters the conditions for constructive and destructive interference, resulting in a shift in the observed fringes.
Path Length Difference – The movement of a mirror affects the optical path length, which is crucial for understanding how interference patterns are formed.