Required Practical 2a – Young’s Slit

Investigation of the interference effects by Young’s Slit.

Aim- Use the effects of interference to measure the

wavelength of light.

Diagram

Method
 Set up the appartatus as shown in the diagram - a single
slit may not always be necessary.
 Measure slit separation using either vernier callipers or a
travelling microscope.
  Set the distance D at around 0.50 m and measure using
a metre rule.
 Carefully adjust the position of the laser until the light
spreads evenly over the two slits. An interference
pattern should be visible on the screen,
 Measure the fringe separation. Think carefully how you
will minimise uncertainties in this measurement. Record
all your results in a suitable table.
 Repeat the step above for atleast 7 more larger values of
distance D.

Risk Assessment
Hazard Risk Mitigation
Laser Damage to eyes if Keep it fixed on a
looked directly clamp stand and
into it avoid looking
directly at it
Laser Reflections Damage to eyes if Take care when
Laser is reflected using the laser and
of surfaces onto beware of stray
the eyes reflections

Results Table:-
Wavelength = sw/d s=0.1mm=1 x 10^-4m
Distance from Young Slit to Fringe Spacing(in metres)
screen (in metres)
0.500 2.273 x 10^-3
0.550 2.636 x 10^-3
 0.600 2.909 x 10^-3
0.650 3.182 x 10^-3
0.700 3.455 x 10^-3
0.750 3.727 x 10^-3
0.800 4.000 x 10^-3
0.850 4.182 x 10^-3
0.900 4.455 x 10^-3
0.950 4.727 x 10^-3
1.000 5.000 x 10^-3

Analysis

5
f(x) = 5.30581818181818 x − 0.293363636363637
Fringe spacing in 10^-3 metres

0
0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.1
Distance from young slit to screen in metres

Gradient = wavelength of green light = 5.3058 x10^-7 m

Wavelength of green light = 5.20 x10^-7 m

Experimental Questions
Why should the slit separation remain small?
Maintaining a small slit separation in a Young's slit
experiment is important becaus it enables significant overlap
and interference of diffracted waves, creating the
intereference pattern. A smaller separation will also increase
accuracy while taking measurements.

State two ways in which you minimised uncertainties when

determining the wavelength.
Conducting multiple measurements of the same fringe
spacing to ensure the correct measurement was taken and
making sure we were not reading off the ruler off an angle
but were instead directly looking at it.

Why should distance D not be made too large?

The distance D should not be made too large because it
decreases the visbility of the fringes on the screen and also
the intensity of the fringe patterns on the screen.

What would be the effect of increasing the width of any of

the slits?
Increasing the width of any of the slits would result to
decreased diffraction, a larger central fringe and lesser fringe
spacing.
If using a sodium light source, how else could the fringe
separation be measured? Why could this not be used when
using LASER light?
When using a sodium light source, the fringe separation can
be measured using a micrometer eyepiece. This wouldnt be
suitable for Laser light because laser light produces narrow
fringes that are too closely spaced to be resolved by the
micrometer eyepiece method.

Theoretical Questions
Why is a single slit not necessary while using a Laser?
A single slit is not necessary while using a LASER because a
Laser light is already coherent and parallel, allowing
interference patterns to be visible without any additional
slits.

When would you have to use a single slit when investigating

Young’s Fringes using a laser?
A single slit is used whe investigating Young’s Fringes in
context to comparing it to the diffraction pattern produced
when using a narrower slit.

Why when using a sodium lamp, would you require a single

slit? What is the physical justification for this? Should a single
slit not be used, would interference still take place?
A single slit is necessary with a sodium lamp due to its
incoherent light. Without a single slit, interference patterns
will not form and a single slits allows diffraction and and the
study of non coherent light behaviour.

Why should a single slit not be too wide?

A wide single slit would decrease the clarity of the
interference pattern and lower its resolution. It would blur its
interference fringes and make accurate analysises difficult.

What would be the effect of moving the single slit closer to

the double slit?
It would result in narrower interference fringes, and the
closer it gets it would increase the path length difference
between the two interfering waves leading to larger
separation and smaller fringes on the screen.
References:
https://www.cyberphysics.co.uk/topics/light/A_level/
YoungSlits.html
Date Accessed :- 19th May, 2023
https://www.philipharris.co.uk/product/physics/waves/light-
waves/laser-module-by-unilab/fe050695
Date Accessed :- 19th May, 2023