Fundamentals of Physics Extended (10th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1-11823-072-8
ISBN 13: 978-1-11823-072-5

Chapter 36 - Diffraction - Problems - Page 1113: 63

Answer

$914.4 *10^{6}$ gratings per milimetre

Work Step by Step

The question establishes that the light has a wavelength spectrum from $\lambda1=430nm$ to $\lambda2=680nm$. The constraint set is that the first order diffraction spectrum must range over an angular width of $20.0$ degrees. The angle at which the maxima of a particular wavelength is formed is given by $$dsin\theta=m\lambda$$ where $d$ is the grating spacing, $\theta$ is the angular position at which the maxima corresponding to the wavelength $\lambda$ forms. $m$ is the order of the diffraction maxima formed. As we can see that for a fixed order and diffraction spacing the larger the wavelength, the larger the angle at which it is formed. In the question we deal with $m=1$ the first order of diffraction and the angles corresponding to $\lambda1$ ,$\theta1$ and $\lambda2$ ,$\theta2$ must have an angular difference of $20$ degrees, so as to span the entire spectrum in this width. $$\theta2-\theta1=20^{\circ}$$ This the equations we develop based on this information are $$d*sin\theta1=430nm$$ $$d*sin\theta2=680nm$$ We know that $d$ can only have one value. Hence we can equate the two equations and get $$\frac{430}{sin\theta1}=\frac{680}{sin\theta2}$$ We have two unknowns in this equation, which makes it tough to solve. However the key here is to realize that we have been provided with a constraint on the angles in the question, $\theta2-\theta1=20^{\circ}$. Hence, we can write $\theta2=\theta1+20^{\circ}$. Thus the equality can now be written as $$\frac{430}{sin\theta1}=\frac{680}{sin(\theta1+20^{\circ})}$$ This equation is now solvable, using the identity $sin(A+B)=sinAcosB+cosAsinB$ Thus, $$\frac{430}{sin\theta1}=\frac{680}{sin\theta1cos20+cos\theta1sin20}$$ $$=>(sin\theta1cos20+cos\theta1sin20)(430)=(sin\theta1)(680)$$ $$=>sin\theta1cos20(430)+cos\theta1sin20(430)=sin\theta1(680)$$ Now we divide both sides of the equation by $sin\theta1$ and obtain $$cos20(430)+cot\theta1sin20(430)=(680)$$ Simplifying the trigonometric terms and the equation, we obtain $$404.06+147.06cot\theta1=680$$ Thus, $$cot\theta1=1.876$$ $$\theta1=28.05^{\circ}$$ We have this now found the angle to which the first order maxima formed by $\lambda1$ corresponds to. We can plug that into $d*sin\theta1=430nm$ to find the value of $d$. Hence we get $$d=\frac{430}{sin(28.05)}=914.4nm$$ Therefore we have found that the spacing between the gratings is $914.4 *10^{-9} m$. This allows us to conclude that in one $1m$ there will be $\frac{1}{914.4 *10^{-9}}=914.4 *10^{9}$ gratings. Thus, in one $1mm$, we have $\frac{914.4 *10^{9}}{10^{3}}=914.4 *10^{6}$ gratings.
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