A pair of slits, separated by 0.150 mm, is illuminated by light having a wavelength of ? = 561 nm. An interference pattern is observed on a screen 122 cm from the slits. Consider a point on the screen located at y = 2.00 cm from the central maximum of this pattern. (a) What is the path difference ? for the two slits at the location y? (b) Express this path difference in terms of the wavelength.

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A pair of slits, separated by 0.150 mm, is illuminated by light having a wavelength of ? = 561 nm. An interference pattern is observed on a screen 122 cm from the slits. Consider a point on the screen located at y = 2.00 cm from the central maximum of this pattern.  (a) What is the path difference ? for the two slits at the location y?  (b) Express this path difference in terms of the wavelength.

Faiza Fuller · Accepted Answer

our formula for double slit interference is:  dsin⁡(t)=m(w)  where d is the width of the slits  where t is the angle from the slits  where m is the corresponding fringe from the central fringe  where w is the wavelength  using trig, we can find sin⁡(t) to be:  sin⁡(t)=yL  where y is the distance from central fringe to corresponding fringe  where L is the distance from slit to screen  our formula now becomes:  d(yL)=m(w)  where both sides represent the path difference:  path difference=d(y/L)  path difference = .150e-3(2e-2/122e-2)  path difference = 2.459e-6 m  In terms of the wavelength:  2.459e-6/561e-9 = 4.4w

A pair of slits, separated by 0.150 mm, is illuminated by light having a wavelength of ? = 561 nm. An interference pattern is observed on a screen 122

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