For a double-slit interference, what would happen to the distance between the bright fringes if you:
a) Decreased the distance between the slide and the screen
b) Increased the separation between the slits
c) Decreased the distance between the laser apparatus and the slide
d) Changed violet light to yellow light
To understand what would happen to the distance between the bright fringes in a double-slit interference pattern, we can analyze each scenario:
a) Decreased distance between the slide and the screen:
The distance between the slide (where the double slits are) and the screen is known as the "screen distance." When this distance is decreased, the distance between the bright fringes (also called "interference maxima") will increase. This phenomenon occurs because decreasing the screen distance leads to a larger angle of diffraction, resulting in a greater separation between the fringes.
b) Increased separation between the slits:
The separation between the slits refers to the distance between the centers of the two slits. If you increase this separation, the distance between the bright fringes will also increase. This effect occurs because increasing the slit separation leads to a smaller angle of diffraction, resulting in a greater separation between the fringes.
c) Decreased distance between the laser apparatus and the slide:
The distance between the laser apparatus (or the light source) and the slide affects the incident angle of the light on the slits. However, this distance does not directly impact the distance between the bright fringes. Therefore, changing the distance between the laser apparatus and slide will not cause any significant change to the fringe spacing.
d) Changed violet light to yellow light:
The color or wavelength of the light used in the double-slit interference pattern impacts the spacing between the bright fringes. As the wavelength of the light increases from violet to yellow, the distance between the bright fringes (interference maxima) will increase. This occurs because the spacing of the fringes is directly proportional to the wavelength of the incident light.
In summary, decreasing the distance between the slide and the screen or increasing the separation between the slits will both result in an increase in the distance between the bright fringes (interference maxima). However, changing the distance between the laser apparatus and the slide will not affect the fringe spacing, and changing the color of the light from violet to yellow will increase the fringe spacing.