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Q.Using analytical method, obtain an expression for the fringe width of two interfering waves.

Maharashtra MsbshseMaharashtra HSC (MSBSHSE) Board 2026Subjective· 4mImportance★★★★★
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The path difference between the two interfering waves at a point on the screen is dy/Ddy/D; setting this equal to nλn\lambda for successive bright fringes and subtracting gives a constant spacing λD/d\lambda D/d.

Let S1S_1 and S2S_2 be two coherent sources separated by a small distance dd, and let a screen be placed at a distance DD from them (D≫dD \gg d). Let OO be the point on the screen equidistant from S1S_1 and S2S_2 (on the perpendicular bisector of S1S2S_1S_2), and let PP be a point on the screen at distance yy from OO.

Path difference at P: By geometry (using D≫d,yD\gg d,y so that S1S2S_1S_2 is nearly parallel to the screen), the path difference between the two waves arriving at P is:

Δ=S2P−S1P≈d yD\Delta = S_2P - S_1P \approx \frac{d\,y}{D}

Condition for bright fringes (constructive interference): occurs when the path difference is an integral multiple of the wavelength:

Δ=nλ(n=0,±1,±2,… )\Delta = n\lambda \quad (n = 0, \pm1, \pm2, \dots)

d ynD=nλ  ⟹  yn=nλDd\frac{d\,y_n}{D} = n\lambda \implies y_n = \frac{n\lambda D}{d}

Fringe width: the distance between two consecutive bright fringes (nn and n+1n+1):

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