$order of diffraction grating$

$order of diffraction grating$

The monochromatic light is passing through one narrow slit before being passed through two more slits. Start by considering monochromatic electromagnetic radiation passing through two slits (Figure 1-8). Variation in Slit Width Openings.ĭiffraction is intimately related to the constructive and destructive interference of waves. As the slit becomes more narrow (Figure 1-7b), the uncertainty in position becomes smaller which results in greater diffraction.įigure 1-7. When the slit is sufficiently wide, the diffraction is small because there is still great uncertainty in position (Figure 1-7a). The Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle indicates that as the uncertainty in the position of a photon decreases (in a direction transverse to its propagation direction), the uncertainty in its transverse momentum must increase this uncertainty in transverse momentum is what causes the light to spread out. As the slit width narrows waves of radiation spread out more strongly. In order to more easily understand how diffraction can be used to disperse wavelengths, picture the passage of radiation through a narrow barrier. The manipulation of diffraction forms the basis of selecting a narrow range of wavelengths of light in a monochromator. Because diffraction depends on the wavelength of light, it can be used to separate polychromatic light (white light) into its constituent optical frequencies in the case of white light, this would result in a rainbow of colors. An interesting distraction effect was observed in a laboratory setting by Thomas Young in 1801 when he performed the two-slit experiment (discussed below). Diffraction is a process in which a collimated beam of radiation spreads out as it passes (1) though a narrow opening or (2) by a sharp barrier.

$order of diffraction grating$

Order of diffraction grating