Physics: Principles with Applications (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32162-592-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-32162-592-2

Chapter 24 - The Wave Nature of Light - Questions - Page 705: 2

Answer

A light ray indicates the direction in which a wavefront moves. For some experiments, such as using a magnifying glass, considering light as a ray (geometric optics) is enough to analyze the situation. For other experiments, such as the double-slit experiment, explaining the interference pattern requires considering light as a wave, and the theory of geometric optics is insufficient.

Work Step by Step

Depending on the situation being described and what is being measured, different categorizations make sense.
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