Young's Double Slit Experiment Video Lessons

Concept

# Problem: Suppose the first-order maximum for monochromatic light falling on a double slit is at an angle of 9.5°.A. At what angle (in degrees) is the second-order maximum?B. What is angle (in degrees) of the first minimum?

###### FREE Expert Solution

Consider the equation for constructive interference for a double-slit:

$\overline{){\mathbf{d}}{\mathbf{s}}{\mathbf{i}}{\mathbf{n}}{\mathbf{\theta }}{\mathbf{=}}{\mathbf{m}}{\mathbf{\lambda }}}$, where d is the distance between the slits, θ is the angle between the path and a line from the slits to the screen, m is the order of interference, and λ is the wavelength of the light.

For destructive interference:

$\overline{){\mathbf{d}}{\mathbf{s}}{\mathbf{i}}{\mathbf{n}}{\mathbf{\theta }}{\mathbf{=}}{\mathbf{\left(}}{\mathbf{m}}{\mathbf{+}}\frac{\mathbf{1}}{\mathbf{2}}{\mathbf{\right)}}{\mathbf{\lambda }}}$

A.

The maximum occurs as a result of constructive interference.

We substitute m = 1 for the first-order maximum.

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###### Problem Details

Suppose the first-order maximum for monochromatic light falling on a double slit is at an angle of 9.5°.

A. At what angle (in degrees) is the second-order maximum?

B. What is angle (in degrees) of the first minimum?