Chapter 14, Problem 6TE

A pattern of fringes is produced when monochromatic light passes through a pair of thin slits. Is such a pattern produced by three parallel thin slits? By thousands of such slits? Give an example to support your answer.

To determine

Whether a pattern of fringes is produced when a monochromatic light is passed through three slits or thousand slits.

Answer to Problem 6TE

The pattern of fringes similar to that produced when monochromatic light is passed through a pair of slits is also created with three slits and thousand slits.

Explanation of Solution

The formation of the slits depends on the distance between each slits. The patterns of fringes produced by a beam of monochromatic light passed through double slits, three slits and thousand slits depend on the distance between each slit and the slit widths. Equally spaced and equal width fringes are obtained by passing monochromatic light through double slits.

When there are a thousand slits, the fringe pattern obtained will have extremely fine fringes of small widths which are not spaced equally between them.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the pattern of fringes similar to that produced when monochromatic light is passed through a pair of slits is also produced with three slits and thousand slits.