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Double Slit Experiment: Wavelength Determination

Using a double-slit slide with 0.5 mm slits positioned equidistant from a low-power laser beam, the experimenters recorded the positions of bright maxima on paper 4.79 m from the slide. They graphed the distance between maxima centers versus their sequential position from the central maximum and performed a linear fit to determine the laser wavelength was approximately 637 nm, though it did not match the expected 632.8 nm value likely due to measurement inconsistencies and lack of nanometer accuracy. Improving data collection methods could address these issues in a repeat of the experiment.

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61 views2 pages

Double Slit Experiment: Wavelength Determination

Using a double-slit slide with 0.5 mm slits positioned equidistant from a low-power laser beam, the experimenters recorded the positions of bright maxima on paper 4.79 m from the slide. They graphed the distance between maxima centers versus their sequential position from the central maximum and performed a linear fit to determine the laser wavelength was approximately 637 nm, though it did not match the expected 632.8 nm value likely due to measurement inconsistencies and lack of nanometer accuracy. Improving data collection methods could address these issues in a repeat of the experiment.

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Anonymous BH74KR8
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© All Rights Reserved
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Marion Avila 2/21/22

Double Slit Interference

In this experiment we hoped to determine the wavelength of light emitted from a low power laser

with fit coefficients. To do so, we utilized a low power laser, a double-slit slide where diameter, d, was

equal to .5 mm and each slit was positioned to be equidistant to the beam, and a blank paper in line with

the laser beam a distance, L, away from the slide. To determine wavelength of the laser beam, we

recorded the positions of each bright maxima on the paper when L = 4.79 m, measured the distance

between the center of each maxima to the next in centimeters, and graphed our results so that N, the

sequential position of each maxima from the central maximum (position N = 0), was represented on the

x-axis and Yn , the distance between the center of each maxima to the next, was represented on the y-axis.

We then used a linear fit on the scatter plot of collected data points and the following formula

𝐿ƛ𝑁
𝑌𝑛 = 𝑑
, N = 1, 2, 3…

to determine the wavelength of the laser beam to be approximately 637 nm with an uncertainty of ± 2.41

nm, a result that did not fit with our expected wavelength of 632.8 nm. We believe our data did not fit the

expected value due to our failure to collect accurate measurements down to the closest nanometer and

inconsistencies in recording the center of each maxima. If we were to conduct this experiment again, we

would use a machine or computer system to collect our experimental data to eliminate these concerns of

consistency and accuracy in measurement, as well as eliminate the need for unit conversion.

Katie Baird, Lab Partner


N Yn (meters) 2xYn (cm) 2xYn (meters)
1 0.006 1.2 0.012 Slope Intercept
2 0.012 2.4 0.024 Value 0.006089 -0.00021
3 0.018 3.6 0.036 Uncertainty 2.31E-05 0.000116
4 0.024 4.8 0.048 0.999914 0.000149
5 0.03 6 0.06 69768.6 6
6 0.0365 7.3 0.073 0.001557 1.34E-07
7 0.0425 8.5 0.085
8 0.0485 9.7 0.097

L (m) d
4.791 0.0005

Lamda (m) Lamda Uncertainty (m)


6.35E-07 m 2.41E-09
nm 635.4921 nm 2.405914

Yn vs N
0.06
0.05 y = 0.0061x - 0.0002
Yn (meters)

0.04
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
N

Linear Trendline Linear (Linear Trendline)

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