Abstract
One may suppose that the most natural and easy transition from temporal interference of sound to spatial interference of light (discovered in May 1801) would have been through spatial interference of sound or water waves. The reasoning behind this suggestion is that it is easier to formulate the principle of spatial interference and the conditions of coherence for mechanical waves, and then to transfer them without significant changes to light. It will be shown, however, that facts defy this logic. I will also discuss in this chapter the response to Young’s mechanical concept or interference.
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© 1991 Springer Basel AG
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Kipnis, N. (1991). Young and interference of mechanical waves. In: History of the Principle of Interference of Light. Science Networks · Historical Studies, vol 5. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8652-9_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8652-9_3
Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Basel
Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-9717-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-8652-9
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