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AP Physics 2
14.7 Diffraction
IntermediateMCQProportional AnalysisConceptual13k
A schematic diagram showing horizontal parallel light rays coming from the left, incident on a vertical barrier with a single slit of width a. To the right of the barrier is a vertical screen. A dashed central axis line extends horizontally from the midpoint of the slit to the center of the screen. Two straight lines leave the slit at an angle theta_1 above and below the central axis, extending to the screen where the first dark minima are located. The central bright region on the screen between these two points is highlighted. No other labels, lines, text, or axes appear.
Single-slit diffraction setup with distant screen.
Monochromatic light with wavelength \(\lambda\) is incident normally on a single slit of width \(a\). The resulting diffraction pattern is observed on a screen far from the slit, with the first dark fringe occurring at an angle \(\theta_1 = 0.30^\circ\). The slit width is then adjusted to \(a' = \dfrac{a}{2}\) while keeping all other parameters constant. How does the width of the central bright maximum change, and what is the new angle \(\theta_1'\) to the first dark fringe?

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