Suggested languages for you:

Q. 6

Expert-verified
Found in: Page 955

### Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics

Book edition 4th
Author(s) Randall D. Knight
Pages 1240 pages
ISBN 9780133942651

# It shows the light intensity on a viewing screen behind a circular aperture. What happens to the width of the central maximum if thea. The wavelength of the light is increased.b. The diameter of the aperture is increased.c. How will the screen appear if the aperture diameter is less than the light wavelength?

(a) The width gets larger.

b) The width reduces.

(c) Gray, almost continuously, with no minima.

See the step by step solution

## Step 1: Light through an aperture

Waves spread out when they pass between apertures or around objects, which is known as diffraction. This occurs when the aperture or object has the same actual size as the incident wave's wavelength.

## Step 2: The light's wavelength and also the aperture's diameter

Hence, we know.

The width increases as the height is increased.

The width decreases as the diameter is increased.

## Step 3: Aperture diameter

For diffraction to take place, the aperture size must be of the same order as the wavelength of light, hence almost uniformly gray with no minima.