Superposition of waves: Linearity and Superposition principle, Superposition of two collinear oscillations having (1) equal frequencies and (2) different frequencies (Beats), Lissajous figures and their use.

Waves: Progressive (Travelling) Waves, wave equation, plane wave and spherical wave, Longitudinal and Transverse Waves, dispersion, group velocity, phase velocity, Pressure of a Longitudinal Wave. Energy Transport. Intensity of Wave.

Velocity of Waves: Velocity of Transverse Vibrations of Stretched Strings. Velocity of Longitudinal Waves in a Fluid in a Pipe. Newton’s Formula for Velocity of Sound. Laplace’s Correction.

Superposition of Two Harmonic Waves: Standing (Stationary) Waves in a String: Fixed and Free Ends. Analytical Treatment. Phase and Group Velocities. Changes with respect to Position and Time. Energy of Vibrating String. Transfer of Energy. Normal Modes of Stretched Strings. Plucked and Struck Strings. Melde’s Experiment. Longitudinal Standing Waves and Normal Modes. Open and Closed Pipes.

Wave optics: Electromagnetic nature of light, definition and properties of wave front. Huygens principle. Temporal and Spatial coherence.

Division of wavefront and amplitude, intensity distribution in an interference pattern, Young's double slit experiment, Fresnel’s Biprism. Phase change on reflection: Stokes’ treatment, Interference in Thin Films: parallel and wedge-shaped films, Newton’s Rings: Measurement of wavelength and refractive index, Michelson interferometer.

Fresnel and Fraunhofer diffraction. Fresnel’s Half-Period Zones for Plane Wave. Fresnel diffraction pattern of a straight edge and at a circular aperture. Fraunhofer diffraction: Single slit. Double slit. Diffraction grating. Resolving power of grating. Production of polarized light by reflection, refraction and scattering.

Numerical Aperture, Step and Graded Indices (Definitions Only), Single and Multiple Mode Fibres (Concept and Definition Only).

• To determine the frequency of an electric tuning fork by Melde’s experiment and verify λ²-T law.
• Study of Lissajous Figure of two different waves using CRO and find out the unknown frequency of an electrical signal.
• Familiarization with: Schuster’s focusing, determination of angle of prism.
• To determine refractive index of the Material of a prism using sodium source.
• To determine the dispersive power and Cauchy constants of the material of a prism using mercury source.
• To determine wavelength of sodium light using Fresnel Biprism.
• To determine wavelength of sodium light using Newton’s Rings.
• To determine the thickness of a thin paper by measuring the width of the interference fringes produced by a wedge-shaped Film.
• To determine wavelength of (1) Na source and (2) spectral lines of Hg source using plane diffraction grating.
• To determine dispersive power and resolving power of a plane diffraction grating.

Maxwell’s equations, Displacement Current, Vector and Scaler Potentials, Gauge Transformations: Coulomb and Lorentz Gauge, Boundary Conditions at Interface between Different Media, Poynting Theorem and Poynting Vector.

Plane EM Waves through Vacuum and Isotropic Dielectric Medium, Transverse Nature of Plane EM Waves, Refractive Index and Dielectric Constant, Propagation though Conducting Media, Relaxation Time, Skin Depth. Wave Propagation through Dilute Plasma (Basic Concepts). Reflection and Refraction of Plane EM Waves at Plane Interface between two Dielectric Media – Laws of Reflection and Refraction, Fresnels’s Formula for Parallel Polarization Case, Brewster’s Law, Reflection and Transmission Co-efficients, Waveguides: Basic Concepts and Propagation of EM Waves in a Rectangular Waveguide.

Description of Linear, Circular and Elliptical Polarization, Propagation of EM Waves in Anisotropic Media, Symmetric Nature of Dielectric Tensor, Fresnel’s Formula, Uniaxial and Biaxial Crystals, Light Propagation in Uniaxial Crystal, Double Refraction, Polarization by Double Refraction, Nicol Prism; Ordinary & Extraordinary Refractive Indices, Production & Detection of Plane, Circularly and Elliptically Polarized Light; Phase Retardation Plates: Quarter-Wave and Half-Wave Plates, Babinet Compensator and its Uses, Analysis of Polarized Light.

Optical Rotation, Biot’s Laws for Rotatory Polarization, Fresnel’s Theory of Optical Rotation, Calculation of Angle of Rotation, Experimental Verification of Fresnel’s Theory, Specific rotation, Laurent’s Half-shade Polarimeter.

• To verify the law of Malus for plane polarised light.
• To determine the specific rotation of sugar solution using Polarimeter.
• To analyze elliptically polarised light by using Babinet’s compensator.
• To study dependence of radiation on angle for a simple Dipole antenna.
• To determine the wavelength and velocity of ultrasonic waves in a liquid (Kerosene Oil, Xylene etc.) by studying the diffraction through ultrasonic grating.
• To study the reflection and refraction of microwaves.
• To study polarization and double slit interference in microwaves.
• To determine the refractive index of liquid by total internal reflection using Wollaston’s air-film.
• To determine the refractive index of (1) glass and (2) a liquid by total internal reflection using a Gaussian eyepiece.
• To study the polarisation of light by reflection and determine the polarizing angle for air-glass interface.
• To verify the Stefan’s law of radiation and to determine Stefan’s constant.
• To determine the Boltzmann constant using V-I characteristic of pn junction diode.