The answer is B, please explain each option ! Thanks ! The figure below shows a

Question

The answer is B, please explain each option ! Thanks !

The figure below shows a Michelson interferometer. The source is a laser with wavelength 1 micron, and the detector is a camera which measures light intensity. The mirrors always remain appropriately aligned. Mirror 1 is located 1 m from the beam splitter. The air in the path to mirror 1 is now replaced with hydrogen. Air has a refractive index of 1.0003, while hydrogen has a refractive index of 1.0001 (both at standard temperature and pressure). Which of the following statements is false? The velocity of light depends inversely on the refractive index, so that the wavelength in the path to mirror 1 is increased by about 2 parts in 10,000 when the hydrogen is inserted. Because the frequency of the light is constant, and the distance to the mirror is unchanged, and both gases are transparent, there will be no change in intensity observed by the detector. There are approximately 2 million wavelengths in the light path, so the detector will record the intensity varying from maximum to minimum about 400 times when the air is replaced with hydrogen. Because the refractive index of gases depends on their density, the number of intensity changes depends on the temperature and/or pressure of the gas. There will be a full cycle of intensity change through maximum and minimum if Mirror 1 is moved a distance of 500 nanometers.

Explanation / Answer

A) Hydrogen will change the wavelength, thus changing the number of wavelengths that the light travels in its path to the mirror.

B) Because adding the gas will change the wavelength, the phase at which the light strikes the detector will change when the gas is added, changing the intensity.

C) 2*10^6*(1.0003-1.0001) = 400

D) As temperature and pressure change density changes, changing the refractive index.

E) The wavelength is 500 nm, so this is true.

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