Assignment-2
(Optics: Diffraction)
1. Distinguish between a) interference and diffraction, b) Fresnel and Fraunhofer class
of diffraction and c) single slit and double slit diffraction patterns.
2. Show that the intensity distribution for diffraction in a single slit is given by,
𝑠𝑖𝑛2 𝛽 𝜋𝑏 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃
𝐼 = 𝐼0 , where 𝛽 =
𝛽2 𝜆
3. Derive the expression for the intensity distribution for Fraunhofer diffraction due to
single slit. Describe the intensity pattern graphically.
4. Prove that the intensity of secondary maxima formed for Fraunhofer diffraction at a
single slit are of decreasing order.
5. Show that the intensity of the 1st secondary maxima formed by a single slit Fraunhofer
diffraction process is nearly 4·5% of the principal maxima.
6. Write down the expression for the intensity of light due to Fraunhofer diffraction in a
transmission grating and hence find the condition for secondary minima in the
interference pattern.
7. What is grating equation? What are the differences between grating spectra and prism
spectra?
8. What do you mean by resolving power of an optical instrument. Deduce the expression
for the resolving power of a grating.
9. Find the angular width of the central bright fringe in the Fraunhofer diffraction pattern
of a single slit of width 0.24 mm. Wavelength of light used is 5000Å.
10. (a)What is resolving power of grating? Find the expression for resolving power of a
grating with number of lines N. (b) For a diffraction grating with N=1000, find the two
closest wavelengths for a light of wavelength 600 nm, so that the first order of principal
maximum just able to resolve them, with respect to 600 nm light.
11. A parallel beam of light is incident normally on a plane grating having 4250 lines per
cm and 2nd order spectrum is formed at an angle 30˚. Calculate wavelength of the
monochromatic light.
12. a) What are absent spectra and Ghost line. b) Deduce the missing orders for a double
slit Fraunhofer diffraction pattern if the slit width are 0.16 mm and they are 0.8 mm
apart.
13. A parallel beam of light of wavelength 5890Å falls normally on a plane transmission
grating having 4250 lines/cm. Find the angle of diffraction for maximum intensity in
first order.
14. A diffraction grating, which has 4000 lines/cm is used at normal incidence. Calculate
the dispersive power of the grating in the third order spectrum in the wavelength
region 5000 Å.
15. What is the highest order spectrum which may be observed with monochromatic light
of wavelength 200 nm by using a grating with 2000 lines/cm.
