One beam of coherent light travels path P₁ in arriving at point Q and another coherent beam travels path P₂ in arriving at the same point. If these two beams are to interfere destructively, the path difference P₁ - P₂ must be equal to A)an odd number of half-wavelengths. B)an even number of half-wavelengths. C)zero. D)a whole number of wavelengths. E)a whole number of half-wavelengths.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

For destructive interference, the path difference between two coherent beams must be an odd number of half-wavelengths, causing the waves to be out of phase.

One Beam of Coherent Light Travels Path P1 in Arriving

One Beam of Coherent Light Travels Path P₁ in Arriving