You are a wave — until you are not
Double-Slit Interference
Monochromatic plane waves strike a barrier with two slits. Each slit becomes a source of circular wavefronts per Huygens' principle. Where crests from both slits meet: constructive interference (bright). Where crest meets trough: destructive (dark). The pattern on the screen reveals the wave nature of light — unless a which-slit detector collapses it.
Slit separation d50 μm
Wavelength λ550 nm
Fringe spacing Δy11.0 mm
Slit width a5.0 μm
Phase diff at marker—
BOTH SLITS OPEN
Full interference: bright fringes appear where path difference equals integer multiples of λ.
Constructive (in phase)
Destructive (out of phase)
Intermediate
Space pause · R reset
A/B toggle slits · D detector
W wavefronts · Click screen