DP Physics Questionbank

Description

Nature of science:
Development of theories: When light passes through an aperture the summation of all parts of the wave leads to an intensity pattern that is far removed from the geometrical shadow that simple theory predicts. (1.9)

Understandings:

• The nature of single-slit diffraction

Applications and skills:

• Describing the effect of slit width on the diffraction pattern
• Determining the position of first interference minimum
• Qualitatively describing single-slit diffraction patterns produced from white light and from a range of monochromatic light frequencies

Guidance:

• Only rectangular slits need to be considered
• Diffraction around an object (rather than through a slit) does not need to be considered in this sub-topic (see Physics sub-topic 4.4)
• Students will be expected to be aware of the approximate ratios of successive intensity maxima for single-slit interference patterns
• Calculations will be limited to a determination of the position of the first minimum for single-slit interference patterns using the approximation equation

Data booklet reference:

Theory of knowledge:

• Are explanations in science different from explanations in other areas of knowledge such as history?

Utilization:

• X-ray diffraction is an important tool of the crystallographer and the material scientist

Aims:

• Aim 2: this topic provides a body of knowledge that characterizes the way that science is subject to modification with time
• Aim 6: experiments can be combined with those from sub-topics 4.4 and 9.3

Directly related questions

• 21M.1.HL.TZ2.29:

  Monochromatic light of wavelength $\lambda$ passes through a single-slit of width $b$ and produces a diffraction pattern on a screen. Which combination of changes to $b$ and $\lambda$ will cause the greatest decrease in the width of the central maximum?

  

• 17N.2.HL.TZ0.6a.iii:

  Calculate the separation of the two slits.

• 21M.1.HL.TZ1.27:

  The diagram shows the diffraction pattern for light passing through a single slit.

  

  What is

                                        $\frac{\text{wavelength of light}}{\text{width of slit}}$

  A. 0.01

  B. 0.02

  C. 1

  D. 2

• 18M.1.HL.TZ2.25: A beam of monochromatic light is incident on a single slit and a diffraction pattern forms on the...
• 21N.1.HL.TZ0.27: When monochromatic light is incident on a single slit a diffraction pattern forms on a...
• 22M.1.HL.TZ1.30:

  Light of wavelength $\lambda$ is diffracted after passing through a very narrow single slit of width $x$. The intensity of the central maximum of the diffracted light is $I_0$. The slit width is doubled.

  What is the intensity of central maximum and the angular position of the first minimum?

  

• 19M.2.HL.TZ2.8cii:

  Show that, due to single slit diffraction, the intensity at a point on the screen a distance of 28 mm from M is zero.

• 19N.1.HL.TZ0.27: Light of frequency 500 THz is incident on a single slit and forms a diffraction pattern. The...
• 19N.2.HL.TZ0.10c(i): Draw, on the axes, the variation with diffraction angle of the intensity of light incident on the...