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jgeng03
Joined: 20 Jul 2007
Posts: 15
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 Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:47 pm Post subject: Question 17 |
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| If we reduce the delta to half the wavelength, I know that it will cause the defraction to have bright and dark lines but isn't that only when Y1 and Y2 intersect at the same place on the screen. On this question we can clearly see that they don't hit the screen at the same place and therefore how can we determine what the screen will look like? |
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admin
Site Admin
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 2176
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| Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 2:04 am Post subject: |
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The distance separating the slits (and therefore where they hit on the screen) is very very narrow. Essentially Figure 1 is a ray diagram (which means it is simplified) and does not show how the waves bend around corners and thus interfere with one another.
You may be interested in the following video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3GxAaBy5-U |
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celphafiae4572
Joined: 08 Jan 2009
Posts: 4
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 3:58 pm Post subject: |
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| I understand the explanation but I do not understand how one would know that the interference pattern will be from top to bottom on the screen or left to right. |
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mcat_premed3832
Joined: 19 Oct 2006
Posts: 413
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:31 pm Post subject: Diffraction pattern |
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You are probably used to seeing slits that are one besides the other. In this classic situation, the light/dark bars go from left to right.
The MCAT loves to take what you know but change it up a bit to see if you can roll with the difference.
When slits are one on top of the other, then we expect - instead of left to right - from top to bottom.
www.hotquanta.com/twinrgb.jpg |
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