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Chapter 27: Q12CQ (page 995)

What is the advantage of a diffraction grating over a double slit in dispersing light into a spectrum?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The light splits more easily because the slit widths are so narrow.

Step by step solution

01

Define spectrum

When light passes through a prism or droplets of water, it produces a spectrum, which is a range or band of colors.

02

Explanation

We get a bigger number of matches on the cover if we use a diffraction grating with multiple slits, i.e., a larger number of interference minima or maxima. Since there is constructive interference in the maxima, they are regarded as lighter components.

Also, since the slit widths are so narrow, the light splits more easily, allowing us to view the full range of colors.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A He–Ne laser beam is reflected from the surface of a CD onto a wall. The brightest spot is the reflected beam at an angle equal to the angle of incidence. However, fringes are also observed. If the wall is 1.50 m from the CD, and the first fringe is 0.600 m from the central maximum, what is the spacing of grooves on the CD?

(a) Find the maximum number of lines per centimeter a diffraction grating can have and produce a maximum for the smallest wavelength of visible light. (b) Would such a grating be useful for ultraviolet spectra? (c) For infrared spectra?

Calculate the wavelength of light that has its third minimum at an angle of 30.0º when falling on double slits separated by 3.00 µm.

The analysis shown in the figure below also applies to diffraction gratings with lines separated by a distance d. What is the distance between fringes produced by a diffraction grating having 125 lines per centimeter for 600‐nmlight, if the screen is 1.05maway?

The distance between adjacent fringes is△y=xλ/d, assuming the slit separation d is large compared withλ.

What is the distance between lines on a diffraction grating that produces a second-order maximum for760‐nmred light at an angle of60.0∘?
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