Distance From The Aperture To The Screen example essay topic

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Oris John-Baptiste Physics Assignment Studying the diffraction from a single slit, using a laser beam. Introduction The aim of the experiment is the study the diffraction from a single slit using a laser beam. Diagram Method The laser beam was projected through a narrow slit onto a screen. The width of the slit was adjusted to view the different pattern changes on the screen. When a pattern of reasonable size was found, the central maximum was measured as shown in the diagram above. The distance from aperture of the laser (the narrow slit) to the screen was also measured as was the width of the narrow slit.

The whole experiment was then repeated with another slit width. The equation used to calculate the slit width, given the wavelength of the laser and the distance from aperture to the screen is as follows: - Where "e is the wavelength of the laser, d is the width of the slit, : is the half-width of the central maximum and D is the distance from the aperture to the screen. Results The central maximum of the first pattern viewed was 2.21 cm. The distance from the aperture of the laser to the screen was 0.91 cm. The wavelength of the laser light was 633 nm. For a second pattern viewed, the central maximum was 3.2 cm.

The distance from the aperture of the laser to the screen was 1.21 m For the third pattern viewed, the central maximum was 1.6 cm. The distance from the aperture of the laser to the screen was 0.72 m A forth pattern was viewed. This time the central maximum was 4.2 cm. The distance from the aperture of the laser to the screen was 1.66 m. Treatment of Results Out of all the results collected one was discarded as an anomaly, (0.057 mm).

The rest of the results were then used to calculate error in the experiment. Evaluation and Errors Although the experiment went fairly smoothly, there were places that could have been improved. For example if there was a vernier microscope to accurately measure the slit width. Conclusion More time was needed to find out the ratio between the width of the central maximum and that of the subsidiary maxima. A vernier microscope was also needed to accurately determine slit width. However it was calculated that the slit width was 0.051 mm 0.001 mm.

Reference: The Handbook of Chemistry and Physics - 61st Edition.