EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Earn 100

Consider the equation dsinθ=. State and explain how the interference pattern would change when:

(a) The wavelength of the incident light is increased for the same grating

Important Questions on Superposition of Waves

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

Consider the equation dsinθ=nλ. State and explain how the interference pattern would change when:

(b) The grating is changed for one with more lines per cm for the same incident light.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

A student is trying to make an accurate measurement of the wavelength of green light from a mercury lamp. The wavelength $\lambda$ of this light is 546 nm. Using a double-slit of separation 0.50 mm, the student can see 10 clear bright fringes on a screen at a distance of 0.80 m from the slits. The student can measure their overall width to within ±1 mm

Using a ruler. The student then tries an alternative experiment using a diffraction grating with 3000 lines cm-1. The angle between the two second-order maxima can be measured to within ±0.1°.

(a) Determine the width of the 10 fringes that the student can measure in the first experiment.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

A student is trying to make an accurate measurement of the wavelength of green light from a mercury lamp. The wavelength $\lambda$ of this light is 546 nm. Using a double-slit of separation 0.50 mm, the student can see 10 clear bright fringes on a screen at a distance of 0.80 m from the slits. The student can measure their overall width to within ±1 mm

Using a ruler. The student then tries an alternative experiment using a diffraction grating with 3000 lines cm-1. The angle between the two second-order maxima can be measured to within ±0.1°.

(b) Determine the angle of the second-order maximum that the student can measure in the second experiment.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

A student is trying to make an accurate measurement of the wavelength of green light from a mercury lamp. The wavelength $\lambda$ of this light is 546 nm. Using a double-slit of separation 0.50 mm, the student can see 10 clear bright fringes on a screen at a distance of 0.80 m from the slits. The student can measure their overall width to within ±1 mm

Using a ruler. The student then tries an alternative experiment using a diffraction grating with 3000 lines cm-1. The angle between the two second-order maxima can be measured to within ±0.1°.

(c) Based on your answers to parts a and b, suggest which experiment you think will give the more accurate value of λ.

MEDIUM
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

White light is incident normally on a diffraction grating with a slit-separation d of 2.00×10-6 m. The visible spectrum has wavelengths between 400 nm and 700 nm.

(a) Calculate the angle between the red and violet ends of the first-order spectrum.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

White light is incident normally on a diffraction grating with a slit-separation d of 2.00×10-6 m. The visible spectrum has wavelengths between 400 nm and 700 nm.

(b) Explain why the second-and third-order spectra overlap.

EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Make a short list of everyday items that would diffract sound, then do the same for light.
EASY
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Summarise two experiments for your fellow learners for determining the wavelength of visible light. What did you learn about yourself as you worked on this summary?