Question

In a double-slit arrangement the slits are separated by a distance equal to 100 times the wavelength of the light passing through the slits. What is the angular separation in radians between the central maximum and an adjacent maximum?

Answer 1

0.01 rad

Step-by-step explanation:

For a double-slit experiment, we have that dsinθ = nλ. The separation between the central maximum and an adjacent maximum is when n = 1

dsinθ = λ

The angular separation θ = sin⁻¹(λ/d)

now d = 100λ

θ = sin⁻¹(λ/100λ) = sin⁻¹(0.01) = 0.573°

θ = 0.573° × π/180 = 0.01 rad