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 - Questions - Page 1107: 1b

Answer

We are between the minima at $m=4$ and $m=5$, so we see (approximately) a maximum.

Work Step by Step

We are trying to determine what appears, on a distant viewing screen, at a point at which the top and bottom rays through the slit have a path length difference equal to $4.5\lambda$. We use equation (36-3) for a single-slit experiment; $\alpha \sin \theta = m \lambda $ where $m=1,2,3,....$ (minima) We find that; $\alpha \sin \theta = 4.5 \lambda $ $m=4.5$ We are between the 4th and 5th minima, so we are looking at approximately a maximum. Therefore, we would see a bright spot.
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