Question

Intensity versus distance curve for a double slit diffraction experiment is shown in the figure below. If the width of each of the slits is 0.7 μm, what is the separation between the two slits in micrometers?

Hint:

In double slit diffraction, the separation between the slits can be determined from the spacing between the maxima using the formula \( \Delta y = \frac{\lambda L}{d} \), where \( L \) is the distance to the screen and \( d \) is the slit separation.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 3.48

Step 1: Understanding the diffraction pattern.
The distance between adjacent maxima in a diffraction pattern is given by: \[ \Delta y = \frac{\lambda L}{d} \] where \( \lambda \) is the wavelength of the light, \( L \) is the distance to the screen, and \( d \) is the separation between the slits. Step 2: Using the given data.
Here, the wavelength \( \lambda = 0.5 \, \mu m \), and the distance between the slits can be calculated by rearranging the diffraction formula. Step 3: Calculation of the separation.
After applying the formula and analyzing the given intensity curve, the separation between the two slits comes out to be between 3.48 μm and 3.52 μm.