Diffraction grating of laser light

In summary, a narrow beam of 630nm laser light is incident on a grating with 300 lines per mm. When the light is curved 180 degrees beyond the grating, there should be a total of 11 spots of red light visible, including the central spot. This can be calculated using the equation n*lambda=d*sin(theta) and accounting for the central spot at n=0. A mistake in unit conversion may have caused the discrepancy between the expected answer of 11 spots and the calculated answer of 10 spots.
  • #1
Johnahh
88
0

Homework Statement


a narrow beam of laser light (i.e coherent monochromatic light) wavelength 630nm is incident on a grating having 300 lines per mm. a piece of paper is curved 180 degrees beyond the grating. calculate how many spots of red light should be seen

Homework Equations


n[itex]\lambda[/itex]=d*sin[itex]\theta[/itex]
d = spacing between lines
n = order of angle

The Attempt at a Solution


so there's 300 lines per mm and i want to find out d therefore i did [itex]\frac{1}{300000}[/itex] and got 3.33x10^-6 lines per m
so now i can use n*630x10^-9=3.33x10^-6*sin(90)
this makes
n=[itex]\frac{3.33x10^-6*sin(90)}{630x10^-9}[/itex]

this gives me 4.72 which I can round up to 5 and multiply by 2 to get the order for 180 degrees.
so I get an answer of 10 and the books answer is 11.
what am I doing wrong

P.S first time using latex...
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Johnahh said:
and got 3.33x10^-6 lines per m
This should be meter per line I think.

You forgot the central spot at an angle of zero.
 
  • #3
check your calculation, I got n to be just greater than 5. As mfb says, you forgot the central max (n = 0)
If n was 4.72 then you would only see 9 spots (including the central max)
You cannot 'round up' the value of n !
 
  • #4
you are correct that should have been meter per line. I knew I must have been forgetting something.
Thankyou
 
  • #5
technician, after seeing your reply I have noticed my calculator is still in radians from my math revision. now i get 5.29 down to 5. Thanks lol
 

1. What is a diffraction grating?

A diffraction grating is an optical device that consists of a large number of closely spaced parallel lines or grooves on a surface. It is used to separate and diffract light into its component wavelengths.

2. How does a diffraction grating work?

When a beam of light passes through a diffraction grating, it is diffracted into multiple beams at different angles. This is because each groove on the grating acts as a tiny slit, causing the light to spread out into its component wavelengths.

3. What is the purpose of using a diffraction grating with laser light?

The use of a diffraction grating with laser light allows for precise and accurate measurement of the laser's wavelength. The diffraction pattern produced by the grating can be used to determine the wavelength of the laser based on the spacing of the grooves on the grating.

4. Can a diffraction grating be used with any type of laser?

Yes, a diffraction grating can be used with any type of laser as long as the laser emits a single wavelength or narrow range of wavelengths. It is commonly used with gas, solid-state, and diode lasers.

5. How does the spacing of the grooves on a diffraction grating affect the diffraction pattern?

The spacing of the grooves on a diffraction grating directly affects the diffraction pattern. The larger the spacing, the wider the angle between the diffracted beams. This means that a grating with smaller spacing will produce a more detailed diffraction pattern with narrower peaks.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
132
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
211
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
10
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
5
Views
1K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
2K
Replies
11
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
5K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
756
Back
Top