Introduction Light exhibits both the properties of a wave and a particle.

Its wave-like properties are best shown in its propagation while the particle-like properties in the emission and absorption of light.[1] As light behaves like a wave, superposition is observed between interacting waves. Superposition of waves is the addition of waves that travel across the same medium. The resulting wave from this addition has amplitude at a particular point that is the algebraic sum of the amplitudes of its constituent waves.[3] This superposition of waves can be observed as interference and diffraction when light passes through apertures or obstacles. When light breaks up as it passes through an aperture or an obstacle, a diffraction pattern is observed. The regions in the pattern where light is visible are called the maxima. On the other hand, the regions where light is invisible are called the minima. In a slit and screen setup, a relationship between the slit width (), order of the minimum (m), wavelength of the incident light (), distance from the center of the pattern to a minimum (y1), and distance from the slit to the screen (D) can be written as: ( ) ( ) This equation is derived from the relation and with the use of trigonometry and small angle approximation, the assumption has been made. By substituting the latter to the first relation and manipulating the equation to isolate the slit width to the left hand side of the equation, we arrive with equation 1. Methodology A diode laser was placed on one end of an optical bench and a white paper that acts as a screen is placed on the other end. The white paper could be replaced with a light-sensitive material that would leave markings when struck by a beam of light. This is to prevent human error in marking the diffraction pattern. A single slit disk in its holder was placed between the laser and the screen facing the laser and about 3cm in front of it. In the Diffraction from a Single Slit part, the slit disk was rotated until the slit with 0.04mm width was centered in the slit holder. The position of the laser beam was adjusted to hit the center of the slit holder. In the first trial, the slit with the 0.04mm width would be used. The distance between the slit and the screen was then determined. This value would be recorded as the D. The room lights were turned off and the minima in the diffraction pattern where marked. The slit was then changed to the ones with 0.02mm and 0.08mm slit width. The same process was done with the slit with 0.04mm slit width. The room lights were turned on and the distance between the first order marks were measured. The same was done with the second order marks. These distances were then divided by two. This was because of the assumption that the distance between the center of the pattern to the first and second order maxima is equal to this value. . These values were recorded as y1. The diffraction patterns were then sketched. The gathered data in the trial

using the slit with slit width 0.04mm would be used in the calculation of the wavelength of the laser. Equation 1 was manipulated to arrive with: ( ) The percent difference was also calculated from the theoretical wavelength and the calculated wavelength of the laser. The following equation was used: | | ( ) Calculated next was the slit width using equation 1. The slit width was calculated twice, the first one using the data with the first order marks and the second one with the second order marks. Note that the wavelength value used in this calculation was the theoretical value of the wavelength. These results were then recorded. The percent differences between the experimental and theoretical values of the slit width were also calculated. This modification of equation 2 was used: | | ( )

[1]univ physics [2]lab manual [3]dictionary of pure and applied physics by dipak k. Basu