How Far Apart Are the Minima in Young's Single Slit Experiment?

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SUMMARY

The distance between the minima in Young's Single Slit Experiment can be calculated using the formula sin(θ) = λ/a, where λ is the wavelength of the laser light (650 nm) and a is the slit width (0.04 mm). To ensure accuracy, both λ and a must be converted to the same unit, preferably meters. The calculated distance between the minima on a screen 10 meters away is determined by the angle θ, which can be derived from the formula. The final result confirms that the distance between the minima is consistent regardless of the unit system used, provided the units are consistent.

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  • Understanding of wave optics principles
  • Familiarity with Young's Double Slit Experiment
  • Knowledge of trigonometric functions and their applications
  • Ability to perform unit conversions accurately
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  • Learn how to derive the formula for minima in Young's Double Slit Experiment
  • Study the effects of slit width on diffraction patterns
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Physics students, educators, and researchers interested in wave optics and diffraction phenomena will benefit from this discussion.

stryker123
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for those of you that are familiar with Young's Single slit experiment, I am having trouble determining how far apart the minima are. The problem is as follows: one shines a laser with wavelength lambda=650nm through a single slit of width a=.04mm onto a screen 10m away. How far apart are the minima? I know that sin[theta]= lambda/a. However, does "a" have to be in meters? nanometers? or millimeters?
 
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lambda and a must be expressed in the same units, so that the ratio will make sense. But in this case it doesn't really matter if it's nm, mm or m, since the ratio will come out the same no matter what. But I would say it is best to convert everything to meters, so you don't forget somewhere along the line when it does matter.

Can you show your calculation?
 

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