Question 20

[sleepyzboy2302]

How did you relate the wavelength of red light to L?

[mcat_premed3832]

The truth is, had we not said anything, you would have already assumed that the movement of light (the laser) can be approximated by straight lines. Nonetheless, we just wanted to give the proof as to why that approximation is valid. It is valid because the wavelength of the red light (laser, 632 nM; recalling the very first sentence of the passage saying that it is red) is far less than the distance L (>10 m).

[Inkoate]

I thought since Y1 was greater than Y2, theta 2 would be larger than theta 3. Also, I never knew that the wavelength and the length to the screen had anything to do with theta. I thought that wavelength and height of the slit opening affected the spreading of light. I didn't think length did also. Is there some formula we were supposed to know to answer this question?