WELCOME

To
Department of Computer Science GC University
Fa i s a l a b a d
Chiniot CAMPUS
Eman Zahra, Hafsa Ashraf, Amtul Noor, Zainab
Khalil, Sadia
Department of Computer Science
GC University Faisalabad

Presenters
 Single Slit Diffraction

This presentation covers the concept of diffraction, the

diffraction pattern produced by a single slit, and the
mathematical derivation behind it.

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 1 Light

Main 2 Wave Nature

CONTENTS
3 Diffraction of Light

4 Single Slit Diffraction

LIGHT
Light is a form of energy which produces sensation of vision.

 Speed of Light
Light travels very fast – about 300,000 kilometers per second.
 Sources of Light
The Sun is the main natural source of light, but we also get light from artificial
sources like bulbs and screens.
 Why is Light Important?
Light helps us see, helps plants make food (photosynthesis), and is used in
technologies like lasers and solar power.

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WAVE NATURE OF LIGHT
Wave Nature of Light was firstly proposed by Christian Huygen in 1678

Wave Phenomena
Light waves can show different behaviors, like:
Reflection: Light bounces off surfaces, like when you see your image in a mirror.
Refraction: Light bends when it passes from one material to another, like when a
straw looks broken in water.
Diffraction: Light spreads out when it passes through small openings or around
obstacles.
Interference: Light waves can combine, creating patterns of light and dark areas.

All these phenomena's reveals wave nature of LIGHT

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Diff raction of Light
What is Diffraction?
Definition: Diffraction is the bending and spreading of light as it passes
through a small opening or around an obstacle.

It occurs when the size of the slit is comparable to the wavelength of the
light.

Wave nature of light: Diffraction is a key evidence for the wave-like

behavior of light.

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What is single Slit Diff raction?

Single Slit Diffraction occurs when light passes through a narrow slit and
spreads out, creating a pattern of alternating light and dark fringes on a
screen.
This is different from reflection or refraction because the light is being affected
by the geometry of the slit itself.
Pattern:
Central maximum: The brightest and widest band at the center of the
screen.
Secondary maxima and minima: Dark and bright fringes at regular
intervals.
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 Key Concepts in Single Slit Diff raction

• Wavelength (λ): The distance between two consecutive crests of the

wave.
• Slit width (a): The width of the single slit.

• Angle (θ): The angle at which the diffraction fringes appear relative to
the center of the pattern.
• Order of fringes (m): The dark or bright bands at different angles.
The central bright fringe is the zeroth order.

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The Diff raction Pattern

 When light passes through the slit, it bends and spreads out,
forming a pattern on a screen.
 The central maximum is the brightest and occurs directly in front
of the slit.
 The first minimum occurs at an angle where destructive
interference happens, causing a dark fringe. After this, the
secondary maxima (bright fringes) and minima (dark fringes)
appear.

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Conditions for Dark Fringes (Destructive Interference)

 Path Difference: For destructive interference to occur, the path

difference between light from different parts of the slit must be an
odd multiple of half the wavelength.
 Condition for Dark Fringes: The condition for the first minimum
(dark fringe) is given by:
 asin⁡θ=mλ

 where:

 a = slit width

 θ = angle at which dark fringe occurs

 m = integer (±1, ±2, ±3, …) – for the first minimum, m = ±1. 11

Central Maxima

 The central maxima occurs at θ = , directly in front of the slit.

 This is the brightest and widest part of the diffraction pattern.

 At θ = , all parts of the slit are in phase and reinforce each other,
producing maximum constructive interference.

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Angular Position of Fringes

 The angular position of the dark fringes can be found using the
formula asinθ=mλ​
where:
o m = the order of the dark fringe (m = ±1, ±2, ±3, …)
o λ = wavelength of light
o a = slit width
 Effect of Slit Width: A narrower slit (smaller "a") causes the
diffraction fringes to spread out more.
 Effect of Wavelength: A longer wavelength (larger "λ") also causes
the fringes to spread out more.

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Derivation of Single Slit Diff raction Formula

We start by considering that light from different parts of the slit will interfere with
each other:
 Consider a slit of width a, with light passing through it.
 For destructive interference to occur, the path difference between light from
the top and bottom of the slit must be an integer multiple of the wavelength.
 Let’s calculate the path difference between two rays coming from the top and
bottom parts of the slit:
 The path difference between rays separated by a small distance can be written
as: Δd=asinθ
 For destructive interference, we need this path difference to be an integer
multiple of the wavelength, i.e., Δd=mλ
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Derivation of Single Slit Diff raction Formula

So, the condition for destructive interference is:

asin⁡θ=mλ
where mmm is any integer (1, 2, 3, ...) corresponding to different
minima in the diffraction pattern.
For the first dark fringe:
asin⁡θ1=λ
For the second dark fringe:
asin⁡θ2=2λ
For the third dark fringe:
asin⁡θ3=3λ
and so on.

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Applications Next are some applications of single slit diffraction in
physics.
Applications of Single Slit Diff raction

Wavelength Measurement: Single slit diffraction patterns are used

to measure the wavelength of light. By analyzing the angle at which
dark fringes occur, we can calculate the wavelength by using this
formula asin⁡θ=mλ.

Optical Instruments: Single slit diffraction plays a role in optical

instruments like telescopes and microscopes, affecting resolution and
image clarity.

Quantum Mechanics: Diffraction patterns provide evidence of the

wave nature of light, helping to explain phenomena in quantum
mechanics, such as interference and superposition.
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Animation

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THANKS For Bearing
Us!
Any Questions?