/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Problem 66 Sonya is designing a diffraction... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

91Ó°ÊÓ

Sonya is designing a diffraction experiment for her students. She has a laser that emits light of wavelength \(627 \mathrm{nm}\) and a grating with a distance of \(2.40 \times 10^{-3} \mathrm{mm}\) between slits. She hopes to shine the light through the grating and display a total of nine interference maxima on a screen. She finds that no matter how she arranges her setup, she can see only seven maxima. Assuming that the intensity of the light is not the problem, why can't Sonya display the \(m=4\) interference maxima on either side?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: Sonya cannot observe an interference maxima with m=4 on either side because the maximum possible integer value of m that can be observed in this setup is 3. This is because higher-order maxima (m=4) would go beyond the maximum possible angle for interference maxima according to the diffraction grating interference formula.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the diffraction grating interference formula

The formula used to analyze diffraction grating interference is given by: \(d \cdot \sin{\theta} = m \cdot \lambda\) Where \(d\) is the distance between slits, \(\theta\) is the angle of the light's path with respect to the grating's normal, \(m\) is the order of the interference maxima, and \(\lambda\) is the wavelength of the light.
02

Identify the given information

We know the following information: - Wavelength of light (\(\lambda\)) = \(627 \times 10^{-9} \mathrm{m}\) (converting nm to m) - Distance between slits in the grating (\(d\)) = \(2.40 \times 10^{-3} \mathrm{mm} = 2.40 \times 10^{-6} \mathrm{m}\) (converting mm to m) - We are asked to verify if the maximum possible \(m\) is indeed \(3\) and not \(4\).
03

Find the maximum possible value of \(\sin{\theta}\)

The maximum value of \(\sin{\theta}\) is 1, which occurs when \(\theta\) approaches \(90^{\circ}\). Let's use this observation to find the maximum value of \(m\).
04

Calculate the value of \(m_{max}\)

Using the formula, we can substitute the values of \(\lambda\), \(d\), and \(\sin{\theta_{max}}=1\) to find the maximum value of \(m\). Let's call this value \(m_{max}\): \(d \cdot 1 = m_{max} \cdot \lambda\) Now, we can find the value of \(m_{max}\): \(m_{max} = \frac{d}{\lambda} = \frac{2.40 \times 10^{-6} \mathrm{m}}{627 \times 10^{-9} \mathrm{m}} \approx 3.83\)
05

Interpret the result

Since \(m_{max} \approx 3.83\), it means that the maximum possible integer value of \(m\) that Sonya can observe is \(3\) as higher-order maxima (\(m=4\)) would go beyond the maximum possible angle for interference maxima. Therefore, it is not possible for Sonya to observe \(m=4\) interference maxima on either side of her setup.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Two slits separated by \(20.0 \mu \mathrm{m}\) are illuminated by light of wavelength \(0.50 \mu \mathrm{m} .\) If the screen is \(8.0 \mathrm{m}\) from the slits, what is the distance between the \(m=0\) and \(m=1\) bright fringes?
Find the height \(h\) of the pits on a CD (Fig. \(25.6 \mathrm{a}\) ). When the laser beam reflects partly from a pit and partly from land (the flat aluminum surface) on either side of the "pit," the two reflected beams interfere destructively; \(h\) is chosen to be the smallest possible height that causes destructive interference. The wavelength of the laser is \(780 \mathrm{nm}\) and the index of refraction of the poly carbonate plastic is \(n=1.55.\)
The photosensitive cells (rods and cones) in the retina are most densely packed in the fovea- the part of the retina used to see straight ahead. In the fovea, the cells are all cones spaced about \(1 \mu \mathrm{m}\) apart. Would our vision have much better resolution if they were closer together? To answer this question, assume two light sources are just far enough apart to be resolvable according to Rayleigh's criterion. Assume an average pupil diameter of \(5 \mathrm{mm}\) and an eye diameter of \(25 \mathrm{mm}\). Also assume that the index of refraction of the vitreous fluid in the eye is \(1 ;\) in other words, treat the pupil as a circular aperture with air on both sides. What is the spacing of the cones if the centers of the diffraction maxima fall on two nonadjacent cones with a single intervening cone? (There must be an intervening dark cone in order to resolve the two sources; if two adjacent cones are stimulated, the brain assumes a single source.)
A lens \((n=1.52)\) is coated with a magnesium fluoride film \((n=1.38) .\) (a) If the coating is to cause destructive interference in reflected light for \(\lambda=560 \mathrm{nm}\) (the peak of the solar spectrum), what should its minimum thickness be? (b) At what two wavelengths closest to 560 nm does the coating cause constructive interference in reflected light? (c) Is any visible light reflected? Explain.
Diffraction by a single Slit The central bright fringe in a single-slit diffraction pattern from light of wavelength 476 nm is \(2.0 \mathrm{cm}\) wide on a screen that is $1.05 \mathrm{m}$ from the slit. (a) How wide is the slit? (b) How wide are the first two bright fringes on either side of the central bright fringe? (Define the width of a bright fringe as the linear distance from minimum to minimum.)
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.