The phase difference is the difference in the phase angle of the two waves. Path difference is the difference in the path traversed by the two waves. The relation between phase difference and path difference is direct. They are directly proportional to each other.
Phase Difference and Path Difference
For any two waves with the same frequency, phase difference and path difference is related as –
\(\begin{array}{l}\Delta x=\frac{\lambda }{2\pi }\Delta \phi\end{array} \) |
Where,
- Δx is the path difference between the two waves.
- ΔΦ is the phase difference between two waves.
Phase Difference and Path Difference Equation
The difference in the phase angle and difference in path length relation can be written in various ways-
| Formula | Unit | |
| The relation between phase difference and path difference | \(\begin{array}{l}\frac{\Delta x}{\lambda }=\frac{\Delta \phi}{2\pi }\end{array} \) |
No units |
| Phase Difference | \(\begin{array}{l}\Delta \phi=\frac{2\pi\Delta x}{\lambda }\end{array} \) |
Radian or degree |
| Path Difference | \(\begin{array}{l}\Delta x=\frac{\lambda }{2\pi }\Delta \phi\end{array} \) |
metre |
Physics Related Topics:
| Single Slit Diffraction |
| Polarisation by Scattering |
| Propagation Constant |
| Young’s Double Slit Experiment Derivation |
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