Antenna Wavelength - double-slit interference

AI Thread Summary
Farmer Joe needs to place his antenna for optimal reception, considering the interference caused by two boulders. The problem involves double-slit interference, where the radio station's wavelength is 2 meters and the boulders are 3 meters apart. The next maximum for constructive interference can be calculated using the formula y = (mλL)/d, with m set to 1 for the first order maximum. The calculated distance for optimal antenna placement is approximately 66.66 meters, which seems large due to the small separation between the slits relative to the wavelength. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding path length differences in achieving constructive interference.
Koro21
Messages
3
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


The question is " Two large boulders lie between the house and Farmer Joe's favorite radio station. Farmer Joe cannot put the antenna on his house because the howl of the wind through it keeps Mrs Joe up all night. Where is the next best place Farmer Joe can put his antenna to get great reception?
Radio station wavelength = 2m
distance to boulder = 100m (the horizontal component)
y= antenna placement along the vertical
the slits around the boulders are 3m apart

Homework Equations



λ= c/f
sin theta = m( λ/d) ?


The Attempt at a Solution


this problem has really stumped me for a while
in essence this seems to be double-slit interference problem so would the first order fringe produce the strongest single?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
How can you have 2 slits with just 2 boulders? Did anyone provide a drawing?
 
Yeah the boulders confuse me too because this is the drawing taht came with the problem
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20130512_212633_182.jpg
    IMG_20130512_212633_182.jpg
    7.6 KB · Views: 470
Koro21 said:
Yeah the boulders confuse me too because this is the drawing taht came with the problem

Aha. THREE boulders!
OK so this is a 2-slit setup.

You need to determine the next maximum located away from the house, marked by the asterisk on your drawing. What should be the difference in path lengths between each "slit" to the asterisk to get the next maximum? Then it's just trig to get the distance between the house and the asterisk.
 
thanks for the guiding hand
So for constructive interference m = an integer
λ=2m
L= 100m (distance to slits)
d= 3m (distance between slits)
m=1 ( the next constructive maxima)
so the final equation i get is y= (mλL)/d = 66.66 meters which sounds really big, did i mess up somewhere?
 
Koro21 said:
thanks for the guiding hand
So for constructive interference m = an integer
λ=2m
L= 100m (distance to slits)
d= 3m (distance between slits)
m=1 ( the next constructive maxima)
so the final equation i get is y= (mλL)/d = 66.66 meters which sounds really big, did i mess up somewhere?

That's what I got. The distance is large because, in relation to the wavelength, the slit separation is very small.
 
Thread 'Collision of a bullet on a rod-string system: query'
In this question, I have a question. I am NOT trying to solve it, but it is just a conceptual question. Consider the point on the rod, which connects the string and the rod. My question: just before and after the collision, is ANGULAR momentum CONSERVED about this point? Lets call the point which connects the string and rod as P. Why am I asking this? : it is clear from the scenario that the point of concern, which connects the string and the rod, moves in a circular path due to the string...
Thread 'A cylinder connected to a hanging mass'
Let's declare that for the cylinder, mass = M = 10 kg Radius = R = 4 m For the wall and the floor, Friction coeff = ##\mu## = 0.5 For the hanging mass, mass = m = 11 kg First, we divide the force according to their respective plane (x and y thing, correct me if I'm wrong) and according to which, cylinder or the hanging mass, they're working on. Force on the hanging mass $$mg - T = ma$$ Force(Cylinder) on y $$N_f + f_w - Mg = 0$$ Force(Cylinder) on x $$T + f_f - N_w = Ma$$ There's also...
Back
Top