Final answer:
The ratio of the slit width to the wavelength of light can be calculated using the equation w/λ = (sinθm) / m, where θm is the angle between a line from the slit to a minimum and a line perpendicular to the screen. This ratio determines the interference pattern produced by the diffraction of light through a single slit.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ratio of the slit width w to the wavelength of light λ can be calculated using the equation:
w/λ = (sinθm) / m
where θm is the angle between a line from the slit to a minimum and a line perpendicular to the screen, and m is a nonzero integer indicating the order of the minimum. This ratio determines the interference pattern produced by the diffraction of light through a single slit.
For example, if the angle θm is given as 30° and the order m is 3, the ratio w/λ would be sin(30°) / 3 = 0.5 / 3 = 0.1667.