A wavefront is defined as a surface of constant phase.
Consider a plane surface XY separating a denser medium of refractive index n₁ from a rarer medium of refractive index n₂. Let c₁ and c₂ be the values of speed of light in the two media, where > q. AB is a plane wavefront incident on XY at an angle i. Let at a given instant the end A of the wavefront just strikes the surface XY but the other end B has still to cover a path BC. If it takes time t, then BC = c₁t.
Class 12 Physics Chapter 10 Wave Optics Session 2024-2025.
Define a wavefront. Use Huygen’s principle to verify the laws of refraction.
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A wavefront is the locus of points vibrating in phase, representing the crest of a wave at a given time.
Using Huygen’s principle, each point on the wavefront acts as a secondary wavelet source. At a boundary between two media, constructing tangents to these wavelets shows how wave direction changes, verifying Snell’s law: sin i/sin r = v₁/v₂ .
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