First slide
Coherent sources and their importance in interference
Question

The maximum intensity in case of interference of n identical waves, each of intensity , if the interference is (i) coherent and (ii) incoherent respectively are

Moderate
Solution

In a case of interference of two wave  I=I1+I2+2I1I2cosϕ  (i) In case of coherent interference, ϕ does not vary with time and so I will be maximum when cosϕ   is max i.e.,  cosϕ=1 Imaxco=I1+I2+2I1I2=I1+I22 so for n identical waves each of intensity I0 Imaxco=I0+I0+.....2=nI02=n2I0    (ii) In case of incoherent interference at a given point,  ϕ varies randomly with time, so cosϕavg=0  and hence   IavgInco=I1+I2 So in case of n identical waves IavgInco=I0+I0+..............=nI0

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