When a thin layer of oil lies on top of water or wet | StudySoup

Textbook Solutions for Physics: Principles with Applications

Chapter 24 Problem 1COQ

Question

Problem 1COQ

When a thin layer of oil lies on top of water or wet pavement, you can often see swirls of color. We also see swirls of color on the soap bubble shown above. What causes these colors?

(a) Additives in the oil or soap reflect various colors.

(b) Chemicals in the oil or soap absorb various colors.

(c) Dispersion due to differences in index of refraction in the oil or soap.

(d) The interactions of the light with a thin boundary layer where the oil (or soap) and the water have mixed irregularly.

(e) Light waves reflected from the top and bottom surfaces of the thin oil or soap film can add up constructively for particular wavelengths.

Solution

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The first step in solving 24 problem number trying to solve the problem we have to refer to the textbook question: Problem 1COQWhen a thin layer of oil lies on top of water or wet pavement, you can often see swirls of color. We also see swirls of color on the soap bubble shown above. What causes these colors?(a) Additives in the oil or soap reflect various colors.(b) Chemicals in the oil or soap absorb various colors.(c) Dispersion due to differences in index of refraction in the oil or soap.(d) The interactions of the light with a thin boundary layer where the oil (or soap) and the water have mixed irregularly.(e) Light waves reflected from the top and bottom surfaces of the thin oil or soap film can add up constructively for particular wavelengths.
From the textbook chapter The Wave Nature of Light you will find a few key concepts needed to solve this.

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full solution

Title Physics: Principles with Applications 7 
Author Douglas C. Giancoli
ISBN 9780321625922

When a thin layer of oil lies on top of water or wet

Chapter 24 textbook questions

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