Running head: DOUBLE SLIT INTERFERENCE LABORATORY REPORT

Double Slit Interference Laboratory Report

Don Mario Butler (20161975)

Oscillations and Waves

The Mico University College

Paul Bender

July 03, 2018.

Running head: DOUBLE SLIT INTERFERENCE LABORATORY REPORT

THE MICO UNIVERSITY COLLEGE

Department of Natural Sciences

B.Ed. Science
Oscillations and Waves
Laboratory Exercise

DOUBLE SLIT INTERFERENCE

Introduction
The space between interference fringes due to a double slit is
𝜆𝐷
∆𝑦 =
𝑎
where a is the space between the slits. In this experiment, the space between the fringes is a
copper wire and a green laser light is used to form the fringes on a screen. The interference
fringes formed by this ‘double slit’ will be used to determine the diameter of the wire.

Instructions
1. Switch on the laser light and adjust it so that the beam falls on the middle of the ‘double slit’
and a large well-formed interference pattern is on the wall.
2. Stick a blank sheet of paper on the wall so that the interference pattern is on its middle.
3. Use a pencil to mark vertical lines on the paper at the middle of five consecutive green
fringes.
4. Measure and record the distance D between the wall and the location of the ‘double slit’.
5. Remove the paper and measure and record the distance between the first and last of the
marks in the middle of the green fringes

Requirements
1. Complete the template in the pages that follow and upload it to the course site.
Running head: DOUBLE SLIT INTERFERENCE LABORATORY REPORT

EXPERIMENT REPORT
Young’s Double Slit

Name of student Don Mario Butler (20161975)

Aim State the aim of the experiment 1 mark
To determine the diameter of the wire in a double slit instrument by
using the interference fringes formed by this ‘double slit’.
Theory State how the diameter of the wire will be determined from the
readings taken.
To find the diameter of the wire between the slit the equation
𝜆𝐷
∆𝑦 = 𝑎 is used. The space between the slits is ‘a’ which is the
diameter of the copper wire. The value for D was measured and a
value for ∆𝑦 was obtained by measuring the distance between the first
and last of the marks in the middle of the green fringes. 2 marks
Recordings Show all measurements made in an appropriate format.

Quantity Measured Values, (m)

Distance, D 2.99
Wavelength, λ 532x10-9
Distance between fringes, ∆𝑦 0.00825

2 marks

Calculations 1. Show all working for the calculation of the diameter of the wire.
NOTE: The fringe width is the average distance between the
middles of two adjacent green fringes.

Average distance between fringes:

Average distance = sum of distances / number of distances
= (0.008 +0.008 + 0.008)m / 3 = 0.008m

Diameter of wire:

𝜆𝐷
𝑎 = ∆𝑦

(0.000000532 𝑥 2.99)𝑚
a= 3 marks
0.008𝑚

a = 0.2mm
Running head: DOUBLE SLIT INTERFERENCE LABORATORY REPORT

2. Use the Excel calculator to determine the error in the diameter of

the wire. State the diameter of the wire along with its associated
error.

Quantity Error in Measurement (m)

Diameter of wire, a 0.0000163 2 marks
Distance, D 0.001
Wavelength, λ 0.000000010
Distance between fringes, ∆𝑦 0.0005

3. The measured value of the diameter of the wire is 3 ± 0.1 × 10-4

m. Calculate the percentage error in the experimental value of the
diameter. Use the measured value of the diameter as the accepted
value.
𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒− 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
% error = 𝑥 100%
𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒

(0.0003±0.00001)−(0.0002±0.0000163)
% error = 𝑥 100%
(0.0003±0.00001)

% error = 28%

3 marks
Discussion Make a statement on the accuracy of the method for determining the
diameter of the wire based on the percentage error obtained.
The experiment was more accurate than inaccurate, though, the level
of inaccuracy was a large 28%. Thus, the experiment is good to use,
but may not be the best method.

2 marks
Total 15 marks