High School

A laser produces a beam a few millimeters wide, with uniform intensity across its width. A hair is stretched vertically across the front of the laser to cross the beam.

(a) How is the diffraction pattern it produces on a distant screen related to that of a vertical slit equal in width to the hair?

Answer :

The diffraction pattern produced by the hair stretched across the laser beam can be related to that of a vertical slit equal in width to the hair. Both scenarios exhibit diffraction phenomena, but there are some key differences between them.

When light passes through a narrow slit, it undergoes diffraction, resulting in a pattern of alternating bright and dark fringes on a screen placed in the far-field. This pattern is known as a single-slit diffraction pattern and is characterized by a central maximum surrounded by a series of smaller, alternating maxima and minima. In the case of the hair stretched across the laser beam, the diffraction pattern will also exhibit similar characteristics. However, since the hair is not an ideal slit, the diffraction pattern may have additional features. The diffraction pattern produced by the hair will still have a central maximum, but the intensity distribution may differ from that of a single-slit diffraction pattern. The irregularities and imperfections in the hair may cause additional diffraction effects, resulting in deviations from a purely single-slit pattern.

The exact nature of the diffraction pattern produced by the hair will depend on factors such as the thickness and uniformity of the hair, its position within the laser beam, and the wavelength of the laser light. These factors can influence the shape, width, and intensity distribution of the diffraction pattern. In summary, while the diffraction pattern produced by the hair stretched across the laser beam shares similarities with that of a vertical slit, the presence of the hair may introduce additional complexities and deviations from a purely single-slit diffraction pattern.

To learn more about diffraction, click here : https://brainly.com/question/12290582

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