A single slit illuminated with a 500 nm light gives a diffraction pattern on a far screen. The 5th minimum occurs at 7.00° away from the central maximum. At what angle does the 18th minimum occur?
A) 26.0°
B) 1.94°
C) 5.05°
D) 0.44°

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The angle for the nth minimum in a single-slit diffraction pattern is given by the formula: a * sin(θ) = n * λ, where a is the slit width, θ is the angle, n is the order of the minimum, and λ is the wavelength. Since the 5th minimum occurs at 7.00°, we can find the slit width a using a * sin(7.00°) = 5 * 500 nm. For the 18th minimum, we use the same slit width: a * sin(θ) = 18 * 500 nm. Solving for θ gives approximately 26.0°.

A Single Slit Illuminated with a 500 Nm Light Gives