Study the phenomenon of light diffraction. a) Define diffraction and be sure to
ID: 1794526 • Letter: S
Question
Study the phenomenon of light diffraction. a) Define diffraction and be sure to describe the phenomenon that causes it. b) Imagine that you have produced a diffraction pattern from a diffraction grating, etched to have 600 lines per millimeter, using a violet laser pointer. The first order maximum of the pattern is located 14.5 0.2 cm from the central bright spot (zeroth order maxima). For a screen that is at a distance 1.00 ± 0.02 m from the grating, find wavelength of the laser pointer. You must include its uncertainty for full credit.Explanation / Answer
(a)Diffraction is the slight bending of light as it passes around the edge of an object. The amount of bending depends on the relative size of the wavelength of light to the size of the opening. If the opening is much larger than the light's wavelength, the bending will be almost unnoticeable. However, if the two are closer in size or equal, the amount of bending is considerable, and easily seen with the naked eye.
CAUSE:The diffraction occurs when the incident wave angle is different from 90 degrees and can be explained looking at front wave (transversal at propagation direction), as it is not parallel to interface it will hit the interface at a point A (closer to incoming direction) when some space will still to be due on medium one to reach point B on interface, both points A and B (and all the interface) could be considered wave source when excited by incident wave but now the medium two have a different propagation speed (let´s state smaller than medium one speed) then the wave will propagate in all directions from A some distance before point becomes excited, as propagation speed is lower in this medium that distance will be smaller than the one that was due before to reach B and the front wave (furthermost excited point in the new propagation direction) will show a different angle.