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PRACTICE / Interference intensity

One intensity does not identify which wave leads

Each of two equal coherent beams separately gives 6 W/m². Together they give 18 W/m². A phase lag is known to lie between 0° and 180°.

What is that phase lag?

Organize the givens & assumptions
  • I₁ = I₂ = 6 W/m²
  • Combined intensity = 18 W/m²
  • 0° ≤ δ ≤ 180°

Same-frequency coherent beams, parallel polarization, same observation medium and unchanged individual detector intensities, unless the prompt explicitly averages phase.

  1. A90∘90^\circ
  2. B120∘120^\circ
  3. C60∘60^\circ
  4. D30∘30^\circ

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