explain young's double slit experiment?
Answers
In 1803 the English scientist Thomas Young worked on the particle theory of light. He established the wave theory of light. It is known that no sound is heard if there is interference. So Young thought that if light is also a wave phenomenon then a similar interference effect should take place for light also. This led to his double slit experiment.
In this experiment two very narrow slits are cut into a thin sheet of metal. Monochromatic light from a distant light source passes through the slits and hits a screen which is kept at distance.
Each slit radiates spherical light waves. These waves emanating from each slit are superposed on the screen. Destructive interference occurs if the waves are 180 degrees out of phase, resulting in a dark patch on the screen. Constructive interference occurs if the waves are completely in phase, resulting in a light patch on the screen.