If the wavelength of light used in a double-slit experiment is increased, what happens to the position of the interference fringes?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
If the wavelength of light used in a double-slit experiment is increased, what happens to the position of the interference fringes?
Fringes move closer together
Fringes move further apart
Fringes disappear
Fringes become brighter
Increasing the wavelength increases the fringe width, causing the fringes to move further apart.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: If the wavelength of light used in a double-slit experiment is increased, what happens to the position of the interference fringes?
Solution: Increasing the wavelength increases the fringe width, causing the fringes to move further apart.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand that in a double-slit experiment, light passes through two slits and creates a pattern of bright and dark lines called interference fringes.
Step 2: Know that the position of these fringes depends on the wavelength of the light used.
Step 3: Recognize that if the wavelength of the light is increased, it means the light waves are longer.
Step 4: Realize that longer wavelengths cause the fringes to spread out more.
Step 5: Conclude that increasing the wavelength results in the interference fringes moving further apart from each other.