Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 22 - Wave Optics - Exercises and Problems - Page 650: 44

Answer

$43\;\rm cm$

Work Step by Step

We know that each light color will diffract by a different angle. To find the width of the first order of the rainbow on the screen, we need to find $y_1$ for the 400 nm light and $y_1'$ for the 700 nm light. Hence, $$\Delta y=y_1'-y_1\tag 1$$ In a diffraction grating, we know that, $$d\sin\theta_m=m\lambda$$ Hence, $\theta=\sin^{-1}\left[ \dfrac{m\lambda}{d} \right]$ where $d=1/N$ where $N$ is the number of slits in a unit of length. So, $$\theta=\sin^{-1}\left[ m\lambda N \right]\tag 2$$ Recalling that, $$y_m=L\tan\theta_m$$ Plugging from (2); $$y_m=L\tan\left( \sin^{-1}\left[ m\lambda N \right]\right)$$ Plugging into (1); $$\Delta y=y_1'-y_1=L\tan\left( \sin^{-1}\left[ m\lambda' N \right]\right)-L\tan\left( \sin^{-1}\left[ m\lambda N \right]\right)$$ Plugging the known; $$\Delta y =2\tan\left( \sin^{-1}\left[ (700\times 10^{-9}) (\frac{600}{1\times 10^{-3}}) \right]\right)-2\tan\left( \sin^{-1}\left[ (400\times 10^{-9}) (\frac{600}{1\times 10^{-3}}) \right]\right)$$ $$\Delta y=\color{red}{\bf0.43}\;\rm m$$
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