Experiment # 10

“Interference and Diffraction of Light”

LAB REPORT # 10

Group Name: Purple (05)

Group Leader: Muhammad Awais Nazir
Section: ME-09 (A), Freshman
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Submitted To: Sir Khurram Shah

Group Members:
Members Roll. No
Muhammad Awais Nazir 200501010
Hassaan Aziz 200501039
Muhammad Talha Imran 200501076
Humza Muhammad Shahid 200501068
Abdul Haseeb Shakir 200501023
Muhammad Imran 200501021
INTRODUCTION:
The double-slit experiment is a demonstration that light and matter can display
characteristics of both classically defined waves and particles. This experiment is designed
to observe the behavior the of light over the sharp edges and in slits.
We performed this experiment to check the behavior of Red light over the number of times
and with different conditions.

OBJECTIVE:
We plot a graph between relative intensity versus position.
We performed this experiment to check the behavior of Red light over the number of times
and with different conditions.

Theory:
When interference of light occurs as it passes through two slits, the angle from the central
maximum (bright spot) to the side maxima in the interference pattern is given by
Dsinθ=nλ (n=0,1,2,3,…)
Where “d” is the slit separation, θ is the angle from the center of the pattern to the nth
maximum, λ is the wavelength of the light, and n is the order (0 for the central maximum, 1
for the first side maximum, 2 for the second side maximum counting from the centre out).
In figure 2, the laser light pattern is shown just below the computer intensity versus position
graph. The angle Theta is measured from the midway between the double slit to the second
side maximum, so n equals two for the situation shown in the diagram.
Since theta is small angle so equation becomes:
Sin(θ) ≈ tan(θ) = Δx/2L
Where Δx=2xn is the distance from the nth side maximum on other side of the central
maximum and L is the distance from slits to the screen. Since it is more accurate to
measure from the nth maximum on one side to the nth maximum on the other side, we will
measure 2xn.
Note that the single slit diffraction pattern is also present in the double slit pattern. It is
responsible for the broad minima that occurs. That means we must be careful when
counting n in the double n in the double slit experiment.

Experimental Setup:
The experimental setup for this experiment is as following;
o First of all, mount the laser on the end of optics bench. Mount the HighPrecision
Single Slit disk to the optics bench with the printed side towards the laser. Turn the
laser on. To select the desired slits, just rotate the disk until it clicks into place with
0.02mm aperture slit illuminated by the laser.
o Mount the Rotary Motion Censor on the rack of Linear Translator to the end of
optics track. Arrange things so the black stop block on the linear translator arm is on
the left side as viewed from the laser and all the way against the bracket. Mount the
Light Sensor to the Aperture Bracket with the 3cm black rod. Mount the black rod
in the Rotary Motion Sensor rod clamp. The Light Sensor should be aligned with
bracket so it points parallel to the optics track.
o Move the light sensor until you can see the beam somewhere on the white screen.
Use the adjustment screws on the laser to adjust the position of the laser beam from
left to right and up-and –down to make the pattern on the white screen as bright as
possible. Once this position is set, it is not necessary to make any further
adjustments of the laser beam when viewing any of the slits on the disk. When you
rotate the disk to a new slit, the laser beam will already be aligned. Since the slits
click into place, you can easily change from one slit to next even in dark.
o Move theLight sensor up or down until the light pattern is centered on the slits.
 o Set the Light Sensor for maximum sensitivity by pressing the 0-1 button. If the Light
intensity goes too high (it will be a flat line at 100% on graph) turn the sensitivity
down by pressing (0-100) button on the light sensor
o Plug the Rotary Motion Sensor and the Light Sensor into the PASPRT inputs on
the 850 universal interface.
o Click ‘open the Hardware Setup button’ at the left of the screen. Click on the rotary
motion sensor icon. To the right of where it says rotary motion sensor at the bottom
of Hardware setup panel. Click on gear icon. In the linear accessory line, click on the
white triangle and select rack and pinion. Click ok. Click the hardware setup button to
close the screen
o Set the common sensor sample rate to 25 Hz in Capstone. Create a graph of
Relative intensity vs Distance.

Procedure:
❖ Single Slit:
1. First of all, measure the distance between the slits and the aperture bracket using a
meter rule.
2. Measure the wavelength of emitting light by looking at the back of laser.
3. Now change the width and the pattern of single slit by observing the screen for (0.02,
0.04,0.08,0.16 mm).
4. Then adjust the slit’s width to 0.02mm and adjust the position of the light sensor in
such a way that the laser light would go through the center of the detector when we
rotate it from one end to the other.
5. Once the light sensor is adjusted, press the record button, and slowly start rotating
the rotary motion sensor pulley while ensuring that the linear translator is not moved
in any direction.
6. Once the rotation is completed and a graph is obtained, stop recording. Now delete
the graph by using delete last run button and do the scan again if any mistake is
made.
7. Click on data summary at the left of the screen and label the run as “0.02 mm single
slit” etc. for every graph and close the data summary.
8. Now repeat these steps to get the following 8 values of graph.
 ❖ Double Slit:
1) Now replace the single slit assembly with the double slit and measure the
distance between the slit assembly and aperture bracket to ensure that the
distance is same as for single slit assembly.
2) Turn the lights off.
3) Then observe the pattern again on the screen as we changed the width of the
laser. Then keep the slit width 0.04mm and distance 0.25mm.
4) Adjust the position of the light sensor in such a way that the laser light would go
through the center of the detector when we rotate it from one end to the other.
5) Then press the record button and slowly rotate the rotary motion sensor pulley
and ensure that the linear translator is not moving in any direction.
6) Once the rotation is completed and a graph is obtained, stop the recording.
7) Click on data summary and label the run as “0.04a-0.25d”.
8) Repeat step 1 to 7 with 0.04a and 0.50d.
9) Now repeat step 1 to 8 with green laser diode.

Result and Calculations:

Single Slit:
For Single Slit and Red Laser:
Wavelength of red laser light = 𝜆 = 650 nm
The Formula which we are using is given below;
𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑚𝜆 (For m=1)
Slit width = a = (0.02, 0.04 mm)
Sr. Wavelength (𝝀) Slit width (a) Angle shifted
no. mm mm (𝜽)
1. 0.000650 0.02 1.86
2. 0.000650 0.04 0.93

Changing the slit width changes the angle.

Double Slit:

For Double Slit and Red Laser:

Wavelength of red laser light = 𝜆 = 650 nm
The distance from the centerline to m (m=1) = x
Distance between slit and screen = L =88 cm
Distance between two slits = D
Formula used:
𝐷𝑥
= 𝑚𝜆 (For m=1)
𝐿

Slit width = a = (0.04 mm)

Sr.no. Wavelength Distance Distance Slit Distance

(𝝀) between slit between width between
mm and the screen two slits (a) centreline
(L) (D) mm and
mm mm m(m=1)
(x)
mm
𝑫𝒙
= 𝒎𝝀
𝑳
1. 0.000650 880 0.25 0.04 2.28
2. 0.000650 880 0.50 0.04 1.14

The Slit width does not have any impact on the result.
For Single Slit:
GRAPH:

For 0.02mm Slit Width:

For 0.04mm Slit Width:

Having 0.02mm and 0.04mm Slit width:

For Double Slit Experiment:
GRAPH:
For 0.04-0.25d slit width:

For 0.04a-0.50d slit width:

Having both 0.04a-0.25d and 0.04a-050d:

For Single and Double Slit:

GRAPH:

Having all slit width:

Questions:
Q1: Using your eyes, how does the single slit pattern change as you
increase the slit size?
Ans.To get a good diffraction pattern, you have to send a wave with a wavelength that is
bigger than the width of the slit. So, increasing the wavelength and keeping the slit width
constant has the same effect as keeping the wavelength same and decreasing the width of
the slit. In both cases, you get a better diffraction pattern due to the wave diffracting in a
more effective way.
Q2:Using your eyes, how does the double slit pattern change as you increase the slit
separation?
Ans.Byincreasing the separation, you will get again an intensity distribution behind every slit
and of course a dark area between these two distributions. Now, if you increase the slits
width, you will again get fringes behind every edge but of course between the edges
appears a bright area.
Q3:How does the Single Slit Diffraction change as you vary the slit width (a)? Does
this agree with your answer to Question 1 above?
Ans. The increase in slit width decreases the separation between relative maxima and vice
versa. This answer does not contrast the result of question 1.
Q4: How does the Double Slit pattern change as you vary the slit separation (d)?
Does this agree with your observations from Question 2 above?
Ans. As the slit separation (d) decreases the number of maxima in a given region is less
and vice versa. Yes, it does agree with answer of question 2.
Q5: How does the Double Slit pattern change as you vary the wavelength? Does this
agree with your answer to the pre-lab question?
Ans. Increasing distance X reduces the contrast between the bright and dark fringes.
Intensity is proportional to (amplitude) ^2. Intensity is also inversely related to the square of
distance from point source. So, when distance X increases and assuming distance D is
constant, the resultant amplitude of wave at bright fringes is smaller. Fringe separation does
not vary with X assuming everything else is constant. If a longer wavelength is used, the
width between the fringes will increase and if a shorter wavelength is used, the width will
decrease.
 CONCLUSION AND ANALYSIS
The splitting or diffraction pattern of red light of different wavelengths . It was
clear from the pattern of diffraction obtained using capstone that the light of
greater wavelength diffracted more as compared to light of shorter wavelength
passing through similar size slit separation. The graph of red light gives us
diffraction patterns .