In a double-slit experiment, if the distance between the slits is increased, what happens to the number of visible fringes on the screen?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
In a double-slit experiment, if the distance between the slits is increased, what happens to the number of visible fringes on the screen?
Increases
Decreases
Remains the same
Becomes zero
Increasing the distance between the slits decreases the fringe width, which can lead to more visible fringes within a given distance on the screen.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: In a double-slit experiment, if the distance between the slits is increased, what happens to the number of visible fringes on the screen?
Solution: Increasing the distance between the slits decreases the fringe width, which can lead to more visible fringes within a given distance on the screen.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand what a double-slit experiment is. It involves shining light through two closely spaced slits to create an interference pattern on a screen.
Step 2: Know that the interference pattern consists of bright and dark stripes called fringes.
Step 3: Recognize that the distance between the slits affects how the light waves interact with each other.
Step 4: When the distance between the slits is increased, the fringe width (the distance between adjacent bright or dark fringes) decreases.
Step 5: Since the fringe width is smaller, more fringes can fit within the same distance on the screen.
Step 6: Therefore, increasing the distance between the slits results in more visible fringes on the screen.
