Virtual experiments in educational practice to study light interference with small particles

Abstract This paper presents the educational application of a Python-based model simulating the interference of light on spherical micron-sized particles deposited on a plane-parallel glass plate. The model integrates the geometric conditions of interference with the angular intensity distribution derived from Mie theory. This approach enables the investigation of the effects of wavelength, source spectral width, refractive indices, particle size, polydispersity, and glass plate thickness on the interference pattern. Virtual experiments have been developed in which students modify model parameters, analyse the results, and solve the inverse problem of determining the modal particle radius. The proposed methodology fosters the development of computational thinking, analytical skills, and a deeper understanding of optical interference phenomena. The model is distributed as open-source software under the MIT licence and is available in a public repository, thereby facilitating its integration into the teaching process by educators and its adaptation to the appropriate level of education.