A Young's double-slit experiment is performed and then repeated after moving the screen to three times the previous distance from the slits. What happens to the angular separation (as measured from the slits) of the fourth-order maxima?
A) There is no change.
B) It becomes one-third the original value.
C) It becomes four times the original value.
D) It triples.
E) It increases by a factor of 2.25.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The angular separation of the maxima in a Young's double-slit experiment is given by $\theta = \frac{\lambda}{d}$, where $\lambda$ is the wavelength of light and $d$ is the slit separation. This formula shows that the angular separation is independent of the distance between the slits and the screen, meaning moving the screen does not change the angular separation of the maxima.

A Young's Double-Slit Experiment Is Performed and Then Repeated After