Physics: Principles with Applications (7th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32162-592-7
ISBN 13: 978-0-32162-592-2

Chapter 24 - The Wave Nature of Light - General Problems - Page 711: 91

Answer

$782\;\rm slit/cm$ $658\;\rm nm$

Work Step by Step

We know, for bright fringes in a diffraction grating, that $$m\lambda=d\sin\theta$$ For the first peak above the maxima $m=1$, so $$ \lambda=d\sin\theta\tag 1$$ And we know that the distance from the center fringe to the first-order bright fringe is given by $$x=L\tan\theta $$ Thus, the angle is given by $$\theta=\tan^{-1}\left[ \dfrac{x}{L}\right]$$ Therefore, the angle of the first peak above the center maxima of the first wavelength is $$\theta_1=\tan^{-1}\left[ \dfrac{x_1}{L}\right]=\tan^{-1}\left[\dfrac{3.32}{72}\right]=\bf 2.640^\circ$$ And the angle of the first peak above the center maxima of the second wavelength is $$\theta_2=\tan^{-1}\left[ \dfrac{x_2}{L}\right]=\tan^{-1}\left[\dfrac{3.71}{72}\right]=\bf 2.95^\circ$$ From (1), for $\lambda_1$ $$d=\dfrac{\lambda_1}{\sin\theta_1}$$ And hence, the number of slits per centimeter is given by $$N=\dfrac{1}{d}=\dfrac{\sin\theta_1}{\lambda_1}$$ Plugging the known; $$N=\dfrac{\sin2.640^\circ}{589\times10^{-9}}=78201\;\rm slit/m$$ $$N=\color{red}{\bf 782}\;\rm slit/cm$$ Solving (1) to find the second wavelength, $$\lambda_2=d\sin\theta_2=\dfrac{1}{78201}\times \sin 2.95^\circ=\color{red}{\bf 658\times10^{-9}}\;\rm m $$
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