{"id":237685,"date":"2025-06-17T12:10:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T12:10:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/learnexams.com\/blog\/?p=237685"},"modified":"2025-06-17T12:10:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T12:10:17","slug":"suppose-that-the-central-diffraction-maximum-for-two-slits-contains-17-interference-fringes-for-some-wavelength-of-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/2025\/06\/17\/suppose-that-the-central-diffraction-maximum-for-two-slits-contains-17-interference-fringes-for-some-wavelength-of-light\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Suppose that the central diffraction maximum for two slits contains 17 interference fringes for some wavelength of light"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

‘Suppose that the central diffraction maximum for two slits contains 17 interference fringes for some wavelength of light: How many interference fringes would you expect in the first secondary diffraction maximum?’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Correct Answer and Explanation is:<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Correct Answer: 16 interference fringes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explanation:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To solve this, we need to understand the interaction between diffraction<\/strong> and interference<\/strong> in a double-slit experiment<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a typical double-slit setup, the light passes through two slits and spreads out, creating two overlapping patterns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Diffraction pattern<\/strong> due to each slit acting like a single aperture<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Interference pattern<\/strong> due to the interaction between light waves from the two slits<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The central diffraction maximum is the broad central band formed due to the diffraction of light through the slits. Within this broad envelope, several interference fringes<\/strong> are observed as a result of constructive and destructive interference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We are told that 17 interference fringes<\/strong> fit within the central diffraction maximum<\/strong>. This number includes the central bright fringe and 8 fringes on each side (symmetrically located). These interference fringes occur within the first diffraction minimum<\/strong> on either side of the central maximum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Now, we are asked to determine how many interference fringes fall within the first secondary diffraction maximum<\/strong>, which is the region between the first and second diffraction minima<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The number of interference fringes between two successive diffraction minima is generally one less<\/strong> than the number in the central diffraction maximum. This is because the width of the diffraction envelope determines how many bright interference bands are allowed in each region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Since 17 fringes<\/strong> are observed within the central diffraction maximum, each side of the central maximum<\/strong> has 8 fringes. In the next diffraction region (the first secondary maximum), the intensity is lower and narrower, and it allows only 16 fringes<\/strong> (8 on each side minus the central one, which only exists in the central maximum).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Therefore, we expect 16 interference fringes<\/strong> in the first secondary diffraction maximum<\/strong> \u2014 8 on each side of the new central point within that region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    ‘Suppose that the central diffraction maximum for two slits contains 17 interference fringes for some wavelength of light: How many interference fringes would you expect in the first secondary diffraction maximum?’ The Correct Answer and Explanation is: Correct Answer: 16 interference fringes Explanation: To solve this, we need to understand the interaction between diffraction and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-237685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exams-certification"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=237685"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237685\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=237685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=237685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=237685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}