All Problems

Interference of Light

Problem 5.87

The convex surface of a plano-convex glass lens with curvature radius R=40 cmR=40 \mathrm{~cm} comes into contact with a glass plate. A certain ring observed in reflected light has a radius r=2.5 mmr=2.5 \mathrm{~mm}. Watching the given ring, the lens was gradually removed from the plate by a distance Δh=5.0μm.\Delta h=5.0 \mu \mathrm{m} . What has the radius of that ring become equal to?

Reveal Answer
r=r22RΔh=1.5 mmr^{\prime}=\sqrt{r^{2}-2 R \Delta h}=1.5 \mathrm{~mm}