Experiment 3:Comparisons of Diffraction and Interference Patterns EQUIPMENT REQUIRED -Track and screen from the Basic Optics System(OS-8515) Diode Laser (OS-8525) Single and Multiple Slit Disks(OS-8523) white paper to cover screen Purpose The purpose of this experiment is to compare the diffraction and interference patterns formed by laser light passing through various combinations of slits. Theory When diffraction of light occurs as it passes through a slit,the angle to the minima in the diffraction pattern is given by asin0=m2(m=1,2,3,) where a is the slit width is the angle from the center of the pattern to the mh m=2 minimum,A is the wavelength of the light and m is the order I for the first minimum, Figure 3.1:Single Slit Diffraction Pattern 2 for the second minimum,...counting from the center out).See Figure 3.1. When light passes through two slits,the two light rays emerging from the slits interfere with each other and produce interference fringes.The angle to the maxima(bright m=5 fringes)in the interference pattern is given -3 by d dsin0=m2(m=0,1,2,3,..) where d is the slit separation,is the angle diffraction envelope from the center of the pattern to the mh screen maximum,A is the wavelength of the light, Figure 3.2:Interference Fringes and m is the order (0 for the central maximum,I for the first side maximum,212 Experiment 3: Comparisons of Diffraction and Interference Patterns EQUIPMENT REQUIRED - Track and screen from the Basic Optics System (OS-8515) - Diode Laser (OS-8525) - Single and Multiple Slit Disks (OS-8523) - white paper to cover screen Purpose The purpose of this experiment is to compare the diffraction and interference patterns formed by laser light passing through various combinations of slits. Theory When diffraction of light occurs as it passes through a slit, the angle to the minima in the diffraction pattern is given by asin = m (m =1,2,3,…) where a is the slit width, θis the angle from the center of the pattern to the mth minimum, λis the wavelength of the light, and m is the order ( 1 for the first minimum, 2 for the second minimum,… counting from the center out). See Figure 3.l. When light passes through two slits, the two light rays emerging from the slits interfere with each other and produce interference fringes. The angle to the maxima (bright fringes) in the interference pattern is given by d sin = m (m=0,1,2,3,…) where d is the slit separation, θis the angle from the center of the pattern to the mth maximum, λis the wavelength of the light, and m is the order (0 for the central maximum, 1 for the first side maximum, 2