Question

Name any two characteristics of light explained by Huygens wave theory?

Answer 1

Hint: Recall the Huygen’s wave theory of light. Explain the characteristic of light explained by Huygen.

Complete step by step answer:
The Huygens wave theory gives the information about the motion of the wavefront in the geometrical space.
The two characteristics of light explained by Huygens wave theory are as follows:
1. The light waves when emitted from the source move in a straight line in the homogeneous medium.
2. Due to the different wavelengths of light, there are various colors of light.

Additional Information:
According to Huygen’s principle every point on the wavefront emits the secondary spherical wavelets of light as every point on the wavefront acts as the secondary source of light.
The secondary wavelets emitted by every point on the wavefront gives new wavefronts formed along the tangents to the secondary wavelets.
The speed of the secondary wavelets is equal to the velocity of light while moving in the same medium.
Using Huygens principle, the shape of the wavefront of light at any time can be determined if their shape at initial time is known.
The light waves are transverse in nature but Huygens proposed that the light waves are longitudinal in nature.
Using Huygens principle, the laws of reflection and refraction are also possible to explain. It also explained the phenomenon of interference.

Note:
Not all the concepts explained by Huygens were correct.
Many things explained by Huygen were corrected and modified by the scientists who proposed the theories of light after Huygen.