Question

Helium-neon laser light (λ = 6.33 × 10−7 m) is sent through a 0.30 mm-wide single slit. What is the width of the central maximum on a screen 1.0 m from the slit?

Answer 1

Answer:

The width is $w_c = 0.00422 \ m$

Explanation:

From the question we are told that

   The  wavelength is  $\lambda = 6.33*10^{-7} \ m$

    The  width of the slit is  $d = 0.3\ mm = 0.3 *10^{-3} \ m$

    The distance of the screen is  $D = 1.0 \ m$

     

Generally the central maximum is mathematically represented as

      $w_c = 2 * y$

Here  y is the width of the first order maxima which is mathematically represented as

      $y = \frac{\lambda * D}{d}$

substituting values

      $y = \frac{6.33*10^{-7} * 1.0}{ 0.30}$

       $y = 0.00211 \ m$

So  

    $w_c = 2 *0.00211$

     $w_c = 0.00422 \ m$