What is the distance Δxa between the places where the intensity is zero due to the single slit effect? Give answer in mm to two significant figures.

Question

Consider a double-slit with a distance between the slits of 0.04 mm and slit width of 0.01 mm. Suppose the screen is a distance of 1 m from the double-slit and light with a wavelength of 600 nm is illuminating the slits.

I'm getting 15mm which is wrong so please show your work!

Answer 1

Hi Uswah T.,

For single slit minima, I get sin(.theta.) = (separation/D=1m ) ~= .theta. = m.lambda./d . Lambda/d = 600 nm/0.01mm . Get busy converting units!

Note, if you haven't already, that the double slit pattern is regular bands, with the central one the same width as the rest; however, the single-slit pattern has a central band that would accomodate TWO of the other bands' widths.

--Cheers, --Mr. d.