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Light waves travels in vacuum along the ...

Light waves travels in vacuum along the X-axis. Which of the following may represent the wavefronts?

A

x = c

B

y =c

C

z =c

D

x + y+ z =c.

Text Solution

AI Generated Solution

The correct Answer is:
To solve the question regarding which of the given options may represent the wavefronts of light waves traveling along the X-axis, we can follow these steps: ### Step-by-Step Solution: 1. **Understand the Concept of Wavefronts**: - A wavefront is defined as the locus of points that are in the same phase of a wave. For light waves traveling in a straight line, the wavefronts are perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. 2. **Identify the Direction of Propagation**: - According to the question, the light waves are traveling along the X-axis. This means the wavefronts must be perpendicular to the X-axis. 3. **Analyze the Given Options**: - We need to evaluate each option to determine if it represents a wavefront perpendicular to the X-axis. - **Option 1: x = c**: - This represents a vertical plane parallel to the YZ-plane. Since it is perpendicular to the X-axis, this can represent a wavefront. - **Option 2: y = c**: - This represents a horizontal plane parallel to the XZ-plane. Since it is parallel to the direction of wave propagation (X-axis), it cannot represent a wavefront. - **Option 3: z = c**: - This also represents a horizontal plane parallel to the XY-plane. Similar to option 2, it is parallel to the direction of wave propagation and cannot represent a wavefront. - **Option 4: x + y + z = c**: - This represents a plane in three-dimensional space. It does not correspond to a plane that is perpendicular to the X-axis, so it cannot represent a wavefront. 4. **Conclusion**: - The only option that represents a wavefront perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation (X-axis) is **Option 1: x = c**. Therefore, the correct answer is that the wavefronts can be represented by option 1. ### Final Answer: - The wavefronts may be represented by **Option 1: x = c**.
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