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Q.Two coherent sources of intensity I produce interference pattern. What will be the intensity where path difference is λ/6? (where λ = wavelength).

West Bengal WbchseWest Bengal HS (WBCHSE) Board 2026Subjective· 2mImportance★★★★★
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A path difference of lambda/6 corresponds to a phase difference pi/3; the two-beam intensity formula then gives a resultant intensity of 3I.

Given: two coherent sources each of intensity I; path difference = lambda/6.

Step 1 - Phase difference: phi = (2pi/lambda) x (path difference) = (2pi/lambda) x (lambda/6) = pi/3 (i.e. 60°).

Step 2 - Resultant intensity for two coherent sources of intensities I1 and I2:

I(res) = I1 + I2 + 2sqrt(I1I2)*cos(phi).

With I1 = I2 = I:

I(res) = I + I + 2I cos(pi/3) = 2I + 2I(1/2) = 2I + I = 3I.

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