What is the relationship between the angle of diffraction and the wavelength of light in a single-slit diffraction pattern?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
What is the relationship between the angle of diffraction and the wavelength of light in a single-slit diffraction pattern?
Directly proportional
Inversely proportional
No relationship
Depends on slit width
The angle of diffraction is inversely proportional to the wavelength; as the wavelength increases, the angle of diffraction increases.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: What is the relationship between the angle of diffraction and the wavelength of light in a single-slit diffraction pattern?
Solution: The angle of diffraction is inversely proportional to the wavelength; as the wavelength increases, the angle of diffraction increases.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand what diffraction is. Diffraction is the bending of light waves when they pass through a narrow opening or around an obstacle.
Step 2: Know what a single-slit diffraction pattern is. It is the pattern of light and dark bands created when light passes through a single narrow slit.
Step 3: Learn about wavelength. Wavelength is the distance between two consecutive peaks of a light wave. Longer wavelengths mean the peaks are further apart.
Step 4: Recognize the angle of diffraction. This is the angle at which light waves spread out after passing through the slit.
Step 5: Understand the relationship. As the wavelength of light increases (becomes longer), the angle at which the light diffracts (spreads out) also increases.
Step 6: Conclude that the angle of diffraction is inversely proportional to the wavelength. This means that if the wavelength increases, the angle of diffraction increases.