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Q.A beam of light consisting of two wavelengths 500 nm and 600 nm is used to obtain interference fringes in Young's double slit experiment. Distance between the slits is 1 mm and the screen is placed at a distance of 1.2 m from the slits.

i) Find the least distance between the central maximum and the point where the bright fringes due to both the wavelengths coincide.
ii) Find the distance of the third dark fringe from the central bright fringe for the first wavelength.
Karnataka PUCKarnataka II PUC Board 2026Subjective· 5mImportance★★★★★
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Coincidence needs n1λ1=n2λ2n_1\lambda_1=n_2\lambda_2, giving n1=6,n2=5n_1=6,n_2=5, position =6λ1D/d=3.6 mm=6\lambda_1 D/d=3.6\,\text{mm}. The third dark fringe of 500 nm is at 52λ1D/d=1.5 mm\frac{5}{2}\lambda_1 D/d=1.5\,\text{mm}.

Given

λ1=500 nm=5×10−7 m\lambda_1=500\ \text{nm}=5\times10^{-7}\,\text{m}, λ2=600 nm=6×10−7 m\lambda_2=600\ \text{nm}=6\times10^{-7}\,\text{m}, slit separation d=1 mm=1×10−3 md=1\ \text{mm}=1\times10^{-3}\,\text{m}, screen distance D=1.2 mD=1.2\ \text{m}.

Fringe-position (bright) y=nλDdy=n\dfrac{\lambda D}{d}.

  1. Least distance where bright fringes coincide Bright fringes coincide when

    n1λ1=n2λ2  ⇒  n1n2=λ2λ1=600500=65n_1\lambda_1=n_2\lambda_2\;\Rightarrow\;\frac{n_1}{n_2}=\frac{\lambda_2}{\lambda_1}=\frac{600}{500}=\frac{6}{5}

    Smallest integers: n1=6n_1=6 (for 500 nm) and n2=5n_2=5 (for 600 nm). The coincidence position:

    y=n1λ1Dd=6×(5×10−7)(1.2)1×10−3y=n_1\frac{\lambda_1 D}{d}=6\times\frac{(5\times10^{-7})(1.2)}{1\times10^{-3}}

    y=6×6×10−71×10−3=6×6×10−4=3.6×10−3 m=3.6 mmy=6\times\frac{6\times10^{-7}}{1\times10^{-3}}=6\times6\times10^{-4}=3.6\times10^{-3}\ \text{m}=3.6\ \text{mm}

    (Check: for 600 nm, y=5×(6×10−7)(1.2)10−3=5×7.2×10−4=3.6 mmy=5\times\dfrac{(6\times10^{-7})(1.2)}{10^{-3}}=5\times7.2\times10^{-4}=3.6\ \text{mm} ✓)
  2. Third dark fringe for the first wavelength (500 nm) …

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