In a single-slit diffraction pattern, where is the first minimum located?

Practice Questions

Q1
In a single-slit diffraction pattern, where is the first minimum located?
  1. At θ = 0
  2. At θ = λ/a
  3. At θ = a/λ
  4. At θ = 2λ/a

Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions

In a single-slit diffraction pattern, where is the first minimum located?
  • Step 1: Understand that a single-slit diffraction pattern is created when light passes through a narrow slit.
  • Step 2: Know that the pattern consists of bright and dark areas on a screen.
  • Step 3: The dark areas are called minima, and the first minimum is the first dark spot you see after the central bright spot.
  • Step 4: The position of the first minimum is determined by a specific formula.
  • Step 5: The formula for the angle (θ) where the first minimum occurs is θ = λ/a.
  • Step 6: In this formula, λ (lambda) represents the wavelength of the light, and 'a' is the width of the slit.
  • Step 7: To find the first minimum, you need to know the values of λ and a.
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