Tutorial 8

Chapter 27

1. In a Young's double-slit experiment the wavelength of light used is 520 nm (in vacuum), and the
separation between the slits is 1.4 × 10-6 m. Determine the angle that locates (a) the dark fringe for
which m = 0, (b) the bright fringe for which m = 1, (c) the dark fringe for which m = 1, and (d) the
bright fringe for which m = 2.

1. REASONING The angles  that determine the locations of the dark and bright fringes in a
Young’s double-slit experiment are related to the integers m that identify the fringes, the
wavelength  of the light, and the separation d between the slits. Since values are given for m,
, and d, the angles can be calculated.

SOLUTION The expressions that specify  in terms of m, , and d are as follows:


Bright fringes sin   m m  0, 1, 2, 3, ... (27.1)
d

Dark fringes 
sin   m 
1
2  d m  0, 1, 2, 3, ... (27.2)
Applying these expressions gives the answers that we seek.

  d   520
 9
10 m
a. sin   m 
1
or   sin 1  0  12 6   11
2
 1.4 10 m

  520 109 m 
b. sin   m or   sin 1 1   22
d  1.4 106 m 

c. 
sin   m 
1
2 d

or   sin 1  1  12


  520 109 m 
  34
1.4 106 m 

  520 109 m 
d. sin   m or   sin 1  2    48
d  1.4 106 m 

5. In a Young’s double-slit experiment, the seventh dark fringe is located 0.025 m to the side of the
central bright fringe on a flat screen, which is 1.1 m away from the slits. The separation between the
slits is 1.4 × 10-4 m. What is the wavelength of the light being used?

5. REASONING According to Equation 27.2, the Seventh

Double
wavelength  of the light is related to the angle slit dark fringe
 between the central bright fringe and the y
seventh dark fringe according to 
Central
L
bright

AP10001 Introduction to Physics 1 Dr. S.H. Choy

 d sin 

m  12

where d is the separation between the slits, and m = 0, 1, 2, 3, … The first dark fringe occurs
when m = 0, so the seventh dark fringe occurs when m = 6. The distance d is given, and we can
determine the angle  by using the inverse tangent function,   tan 1  y / L  , since both y and
L are known (see the drawing).

SOLUTION We will first compute the angle between the central bright fringe and the seventh
dark fringe using the geometry shown in the drawing:

 y  0.025 m 
  tan 1    tan 1    1.3
L  1.1 m 

The wavelength of the light is

d sin  1.4 104 m  sin1.3

   4.9  107 m
m 2 1 6 2
1

9. In a Young's double-slit experiment the separation distance y between the second-order bright
fringe and the central bright fringe on a flat screen is 0.0180 m, when the light has a wavelength
of 411 nm. Assume that the angles are small enough so that sin is approximately equal to tan .
Find the separation y when the light has a wavelength of 585 nm.

9. REASONING The drawing shows a top Second-order bright

view of the double slit and the screen, as Double fringe (m = 2)
slit
well as the position of the central bright
y
fringe (m = 0) and the second-order 
bright fringe (m = 2). The vertical Central bright
distance y in the drawing can be obtained L fringe (m = 0)
from the tangent function as
y = L tan . According to Equation 27.1, the angle  is related to the wavelength  of the light
and the separation d between the slits by sin   m / d , where m = 0, 1, 2, 3, … If the angle 
is small, then tan   sin  , so that

 m 
y  L tan   L sin   L   
 d 

We will use this relation to find the value of y when  = 585 nm.

SOLUTION When  = 425 nm, we know that y = 0.0180 m, so

AP10001 Introduction to Physics 2 Dr. S.H. Choy

  m  411 nm  
0.0180 m  L   
 d

Dividing Equation (1) by Equation (2) and algebraically eliminating the common factors of L, m, and d,
we find that

 m 
L 
y  d  
 
0.0180 m  m  411 nm   411 nm
L 
 d

When  = 585 nm, the distance to the second-order bright fringe is

 585 nm 
y   0.0180 m     0.0256 m
 411 nm 

55. REASONING In order for the two rays to interfere constructively and thereby form a bright interference
fringe, the difference  between their path lengths must be an integral multiple m of the
wavelength  of the light:

  m (1)

In Equation (1), m can take on any integral value (m = 0, 1, 2, 3, …). In this case, the rays meet at the
eight-order bright fringe, so we have that m = 8.

SOLUTION Solving Equation (1) for , and substituting m = 8, we obtain

 4.57 106 m
   5.71107 m
m 8

Using the equivalence 1 nm = 10−9 m, we convert this result to nanometers:


  5.71107 m    101nm
9

  571 nm
m

AP10001 Introduction to Physics 3 Dr. S.H. Choy

AP10001 Introduction to Physics 4 Dr. S.H. Choy