What is the effect of increasing the wavelength on the diffraction pattern of a
Practice Questions
Q1
What is the effect of increasing the wavelength on the diffraction pattern of a single slit?
Fringes become narrower
Fringes become wider
Fringes disappear
Fringes become brighter
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What is the effect of increasing the wavelength on the diffraction pattern of a single slit?
Step 1: Understand what diffraction is. Diffraction is the bending of waves around obstacles or through openings.
Step 2: Know what a single slit is. A single slit is a narrow opening that allows waves (like light) to pass through.
Step 3: Learn about wavelength. Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive peaks of a wave.
Step 4: Recognize that increasing the wavelength means the distance between peaks of the wave becomes larger.
Step 5: Understand that when the wavelength increases, the waves spread out more after passing through the slit.
Step 6: Realize that this spreading out causes the diffraction pattern (the pattern of light and dark bands) to become wider.
Step 7: Conclude that with a longer wavelength, the central maximum (the brightest part of the pattern) becomes wider, and the other fringes (the lighter and darker bands) also spread out.
