Young's Double Slit Interference

• What does Young's double slit experiment demonstrate?

  How light waves produce a diffraction pattern

  
• What was used as a source in Young's double slit experiment?

  A monochromatic source
• What type of pattern was observed on the screen in Young's experiment?

  An interference pattern
• How did the results of Young's experiment disagree with corpuscular theory?

  It predicted only two bright regions
• If paintballs were shot through two gaps, what would be expected according to corpuscular theory?

  Only two separate regions of paint
• What does particle-like behavior predict in Young's experiment?

  Only two bright regions
• What was the only explanation for the interference pattern observed?

  Light diffracted through the thin slits
• Which theory was supported by the evidence from Young's experiment?

  Huygens' wave theory of light
• How does light behaving as a wave explain the interference pattern?

  Bright fringes show constructive interference
• What do dark fringes indicate in the interference pattern?

  Destructive interference
• What was the scientific community's initial response to corpuscular theory after Young's experiment?

  It was not immediately rejected
• What experiment was crucial for the acceptance of wave theory of light?

  Hippolyte Fizeau's experiment
• What should students be familiar with regarding Young's double slit interference?

  • The appearance of the fringes
  • Explanation of the fringes
  • Evidence supporting wave theory of light
• Are calculations expected in the topic of Young's double slit interference?

  No calculations are expected
• What is the significance of the fringes in Young's double slit experiment?

  They provide evidence for wave theory