Higher

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Past Paper questions
1993 - 2001
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3.1 Diffraction
1993 Q36
Microwaves are passed through two slits, A and B, in a metal plate as shown in the diagram below.

A microwave detector is moved along a straight line from X to Y.

The first minimum of microwave intensity is detected at point P.
The distance AP is 41 cm and BP is 43 cm.
Find the wavelength of the microwaves.

1994 Q35
Loudspeakers 1 and 2 are both connected to the same signal generator which is set to produce a
1 kHz signal.
Loudspeaker 1 is switched on but loudspeaker 2 is switched off.

State and explain what happens to the amplitude of the signal picked up by the microphone when
loudspeaker 2 is switched on.
Your explanation should include a calculation using the value of the speed of sound in air as 340 ms-1.
1995 Q37
Monochromatic light is incident normally upon a grating which has 300 lines per mm.
The angle between the two second order maxima is 46º as shown below.

(a) Calculate the wavelength of the monochromatic light.

(b) What is the colour of this light?

1996 Q35
Light of wavelength 600 nm is passed through a grating.
The grating has 2.5x105 lines per metre.
Calculate the angle at which the first maximum appears.

1998 Q37
A grating with 300 lines/mm is used with a spectrometer and a source of monochromatic light to
view an interference pattern as shown below.

The second maximum of interference is observed when the telescope is at an angle of 24.5º.
Calculate the wavelength of the light.
1999 Q35
The diagram illustrates one method of demonstrating interference of light.

(a) The wavelength of light from the laser is 633 nm, and the separation of lines on the grating
is 2.0x10-6m. Calculate the angle θ between the central maximum and first order maximum.
(b) The screen is now moved away from the grating.
What effect does this have on the value of θ?

2000 Q35
A grating, as shown below, is used to determine the wavelength of light from a laser.

The grating has 600 lines per mm.

The angle between the two first order maxima is 44.6º as shown in the diagram.
Calculate the wavelength of the laser light.
1993 Q8
A biologist is studying the effect of different colours of light on a sample of chlorophyll.
The biologist sets up the apparatus shown below, using a diffraction grating with 6.0x105 lines
per metre to produce a first order spectrum of sunlight.

(a) Explain briefly how a diffraction grating produces a continuous spectrum from the ray of sunlight.
(b) (i) The wavelength of the light at the end X of the spectrum is 410 nm.
Calculate the value of the angle θ.
(ii) The angle A, in the diagram above, is 9º.
Calculate the wavelength at end Y of the spectrum.
(c) The biologist now uses a triangular glass prism to produce a continuous spectrum from a ray of
sunlight.
State two differences between this spectrum and the spectrum produced by the grating.

1997 Q38
A grating or a prism can be used to produce spectra from a source of white light.
Give two differences between the spectra obtained using the grating and the prism.
Diagrams may be used to illustrate your answer.
1997 Q8
Two identical loudspeakers X and Y are set up in a room which has been designed to eliminate the
reflection of sound. The loudspeakers are connected to the same signal generator as shown.

(a) (i) When a sound level meter is moved from P to T, maxima and minima of sound intensity are
detected.
Explain, in terms of waves, why the maxima and minima are produced.
(ii) The sound level meter detects a maximum at P.
As the sound level meter is moved from P, it detects a minimum then a maximum then another
minimum when it reaches Q.
Calculate the wavelength of the sound used.
(b) The sound level meter is now fixed at Q.
The frequency of the output from the signal generator is increased steadily from 200 Hz
to 1000 Hz.
(i) What happens to the wavelength of the sound as the frequency of the output is increased?
(ii) Explain why the sound level meter detects a series of maxima and minima as the frequency of
the output is increased.
1999 Q10
Light from a laser is shone onto a grating.
The separation of the slits on the grating is 5.0x10-6 m.
A pattern is produced on a screen as shown below.

(a) (i) The angle θ between the central maximum and the 2nd order maximum is 14º.
Calculate the wavelength of the light produced by this laser.
(ii) A pupil suggests that a more accurate value for the wavelength of the laser light can be
found if a grating with a slit separation of 2.0x10-6 m is used.
Explain why this suggestion is correct.
(b) The laser is replaced by a source of white light and the pattern on the screen changes to a white
central maximum with other maxima in the form of continuous spectra on each side of the central
maximum.

Explain:
(i) why the central maximum is white;
(ii) why the other maxima are in the form of continuous spectra.
2001 Q10
A beam of microwaves is directed towards metal plates with gaps between them as shown below.

The meter connected to the microwave detector indicates a maximum of intensity at P.

(a) As the detector is moved from P, the meter indicates a minimum at Q, a maximum at R, a
minimum at S and a maximum at T.
(i) Explain, in terms of waves, how the maxima and minima are produced.
(ii) Calculate the wavelength of the microwaves.
(b) The microwave detector is positioned at P and the reading on the meter noted.
What happens to the meter reading when the detector is moved from P to Y?
You must justify your answer.
(c) The detector is positioned at P.
What happens to the meter reading when one of the gaps is blocked with another metal plate?

2001 Q35
A grating, as shown below, is used to determine the wavelength of light from a laser.

The grating has 600 lines per mm.

The angle between the two first order maxima is 44.6º as shown in the diagram.
Calculate the wavelength of the laser light.