Outcomes of Huygen’s Principle

Huygen’s principle is one of the most important and first noticeable theories to study light in depth. Huygens’s wave theory proved Newton’s theory of light incorrect. The theory states that light travels in the form of waves. So Hugyen gave it an imaginary medium to travel, which is known as ether. This is very low in density but is present all over the atmosphere. 

Therefore, Huygen’s wave theory states that light travels in the form of a wave, and this wave propagates in an imaginary medium called ether. 

History 

A useful technique was developed by a Dutch scientist named Christiaan Huygens to see how and where the wave propagates. Later in 1678, he proposed that all the points around any disturbance point became a source of waves. He stated that the waves formed to move forward from the point of their actual origin. 

He was successful in explaining his theory. He later proved the linear and spherical wave propagation through the proper derivation of the law of reflection and law of refraction. Whereas the effects of diffraction were later on proposed by Augustinian-Jean Fresnel.

Visible light or even simply light can act as a wave or as if it consists of numerous other particles of light. This idea is that light either acts as a particle of a number of waves or a single wave. 

Hugyen’s principle states that every single point on a wavefront can be considered as a source of wavelets that moves outwards at the speed of the wave itself. A single wavefront is considered a number of sources of wavelets that have their own points. It means that the new wavefront consists of a line that is tangent to all these wavelets, and it moves with the speed of the initial wavefront. This concept is known as Hugyen’s principle.

Example for Huygen’s principle 

As soon as you drop a stone into the water, it creates some disturbance around itself. So, the water around is the wavefront. But, what is a wavefront? 

Wavefront is a collection of all such points that go up and down due to the disturbance. In this case, the water will go up at the same time and will come down at the same time  known as the wavefront. As we have taken an example of this stone in water, in the same way, the waves are formed in the ether. 

Hugyen’s wave theory states that if there is any disturbance in the particle of the medium, it will start vibrating. 

Outcomes of Huygen’s Principle

This principle helps us to understand the movement of waves across different objects. 

The law of reflection can be derived through Hugyen’s theory as all the points on the wavefront are considered as a source along the surface of the refractive medium. At that very point, all the waves bend depending on the new medium. Hence, this principle can be used to derive the law of reflection and the law of refraction as well.  

Hugyen’s principle is a very useful application if we want to determine where the wave propagates and how it propagates.  

It can also be really useful if we consider linear wave propagation and spherical wave propagation.

Hugyen’s principle provides a basic understanding of the wave nature of light. This principle by Hugyen is used to explain the diffraction of light. When light travels through an aperture, each point of the light wave within the aperture is said to form a circular wave that propagates outward from the aperture, which is treated as a new wave source. 

The strength of the wavefront is highest in the middle, diminishing as it approaches the edges. Huygens’ concept may be used to deduce the rules of reflection and refraction. Points along the wavefront are viewed as sources along the refractive medium’s surface, at which point the whole wave bends due to the new medium. As soon as you drop a stone into the water it will create some disturbance around itself. So the water around is the wavefront. 

Conclusion

Huygen’s wave theory states that light travels in the form of a wave and this wave propagates in an imaginary medium called ether. Later on, it was proved that the nature of light was indeed the wave. This principle helps us understand the movement of waves across different objects. The law of reflection can be derived from Hugyen’s theory. Hugyen’s principle helps determine where the wave propagates and how it propagates. It is also useful in linear wave propagation and spherical wave propagation.