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AP Physics 2
14.7 Diffraction
14.3 Boundary Behavior of Waves and Polarization
IntermediateMCQConceptual22.2k
A horizontal glass tank filled with water contains a single-slit diffraction apparatus submerged inside. On the left side of the tank, a red laser module emits a parallel light beam along a horizontal central axis toward a vertical barrier containing a single slit of width a. To the right of the barrier at a distance L, a vertical detector screen displays a single-slit diffraction pattern with a prominent central bright maximum of width W flanked by smaller dark and bright fringes. A horizontal dashed line indicates the water level above all optical components inside the tank. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.
Single-slit diffraction apparatus submerged in water.
A monochromatic laser beam in air with index of refraction \(n \approx 1.0\) passes through a single slit of width \(a\), forming a diffraction pattern on a screen located a distance \(L\) away. The width of the central diffraction maximum on the screen is measured to be \(W\). The entire apparatus—laser, slit, and screen—is then completely submerged in a tank filled with water with index of refraction \(n = 1.33\). Which of the following correctly describes what happens to the width \(W\) of the central diffraction maximum and provides the correct physical justification?

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