KCET2026PhysicsWave Optics
In Young's double slit experiment, how many maxima can be seen on a screen (including central maxima) if d = 5 2 (where is wavelength of light and d is distance between the two slits).
Options
- A5
- B4
- C7
- D1
Correct answer
A. 5
Step-by-step solution
The condition for maxima in Young's double slit experiment is given by d = n , where n is an integer. Given d = 5 2 = 2.5 . Substituting the value of d in the condition for maxima: 2.5 = n = n 2.5 Since the maximum possible value of is 1 , we have: | n 2.5 | 1 |n| 2.5 Since n must be an integer, the possible values of n are -2, -1, 0, 1, 2 . Thus, there are 5 possible values for n , which corresponds to 5 maxima on the screen (including the central maximum). Answer: 5