vsage
Dec8-04, 09:28 PM
A single slit diffracts laser light of wavelength 610 nm onto a screen 3.25 m away. The distance between the two first-order maxima on either side of the central peak is 3.65 mm. How wide is the slit (in mm)?
I figured the formula \lambda m = d sin(\theta) would work but it's not. Here's my work:
sin(theta) = 3.65*0.5*10^-3 / 3.25 (since the angle is really small tan(x)~=sin(x))
sin(theta) ~= 5.62*10^-4
610*10^-9*1 = d * 5.62*10^-4
d~= 1.09mm or 1.09*10^-3m
This is wrong. What did I do wrong? Thanks
I figured the formula \lambda m = d sin(\theta) would work but it's not. Here's my work:
sin(theta) = 3.65*0.5*10^-3 / 3.25 (since the angle is really small tan(x)~=sin(x))
sin(theta) ~= 5.62*10^-4
610*10^-9*1 = d * 5.62*10^-4
d~= 1.09mm or 1.09*10^-3m
This is wrong. What did I do wrong? Thanks