Date | November 2013 | Marks available | 3 | Reference code | 13N.3.HL.TZ0.11 |
Level | Higher level | Paper | Paper 3 | Time zone | Time zone 0 |
Command term | Calculate | Question number | 11 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
This question is about wedge fringes.
A glass microscope slide of length 6.0cm is placed on a glass plate and illuminated using a monochromatic source of light of wavelength 590nm. A hair is trapped at one end of the slide forming an air wedge between the glass plate and the slide.
An observer viewing the microscope slide at near-normal incidence measures the fringe spacing to be 0.29 mm. Calculate the thickness of the hair.
Markscheme
there are 600.29 fringes=207;
2×1×t=207×5.9×10-7;
t=61(μm);
or
(tanθ=)16.0(cm)=0.5λΔx;
t=[0.06(m)×0.5×5.9×10−7(m)]0.00029(m);
t=61(μm);
A phase change of 12λ, if seen in working, can be ignored and does not affect the answer.
Award [3] for a bald correct answer.