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If the distance between slits on a diffraction grating is 0.50 mm and one of the angles of diffraction is 0.25°, how large is the path difference?

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Final answer:

The path difference in a diffraction grating can be calculated using the formula: path difference = distance between slits * sin(angle of diffraction). In this case, the path difference is approximately 0.0000022 m.

Step-by-step explanation:

The path difference in a diffraction grating can be calculated using the formula:

Path difference = distance between slits * sin(angle of diffraction)


In this case, the distance between the slits is 0.50 mm (or 0.0005 m) and the angle of diffraction is 0.25°. Plugging these values into the formula:

Path difference = 0.0005 * sin(0.25°)

Using a scientific calculator, we can get the value of the sine of 0.25° which is approximately 0.0043637. Multiplying this by 0.0005, we get a path difference of approximately 0.0000022 m.

User Nick Groeneveld
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2 votes

It should be 2200 nm and for the second part "How many orders of bright lines does this equal for red light with a wavelength of 650 nm?" it should be 3 wavelengths.

User Pratski
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