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AP Physics 2
14.7 Diffraction
BeginnerMCQConceptual21.6k
A horizontal schematic viewed from the side. On the left, a laser emits a horizontal beam of light directed to the right toward a vertical barrier containing a narrow single slit of width labeled a. To the right of the barrier at a distance labeled L stands a vertical viewing screen. Light spreads from the slit toward the screen. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.
Experimental setup for single-slit diffraction of laser light on a screen.
Red laser light with wavelength \(\lambda_{\text{red}} = 650\text{ nm}\) passes through a single slit of width \(a\) and forms a diffraction pattern on a screen located at a distance \(L\) from the slit. The red laser is then replaced by a blue laser with wavelength \(\lambda_{\text{blue}} = 450\text{ nm}\) passing through the same slit at the same distance. How does the width of the central bright maximum on the screen change, and why?

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