There are 5510 lines per centimeter in a grating that is used with light whose wavelegth is 467 nm. A flat observation screen is located 1.03 m from the grating. What is the minimum width that the screen must have so the centers of all the principal maxima formed on either side of the central maximum fall on the screen

1.696 nm

Explanation:

For a diffraction grating, dsinθ = mλ where d = number of lines per metre of grating = 5510 lines per cm = 551000 lines per metre and λ = wavelength of light = 467 nm = 467 × 10⁻⁹ m. For a principal maximum, m = 1. So,

dsinθ = mλ = (1)λ = λ

dsinθ = λ

sinθ = λ/d.

Also tanθ = w/D where w = distance of center of screen to principal maximum and D = distance of grating to screen = 1.03 m

From trig ratios 1 + cot²θ = cosec²θ

1 + (1/tan²θ) = 1/(sin²θ)

substituting the values of sinθ and tanθ we have

1 + (D/w)² = (d/λ)²

(D/w)² = (d/λ)² - 1

(w/D)² = 1/[(d/λ)² - 1]

(w/D) = 1/√[(d/λ)² - 1]

w = D/√[(d/λ)² - 1] = 1.03 m/√[(551000/467 × 10⁻⁹ )² - 1] = 1.03 m/√[(1179.87 × 10⁹ )² - 1] = 1.03 m/1179.87 × 10⁹  = 0.000848 × 10⁻⁹ = 0.848 × 10⁻¹² m = 0.848 nm.

w is also the distance from the center to the other principal maximum on the other side.

So for both principal maxima to be on the screen, its minimum width must be 2w = 2 × 0.848 nm = 1.696 nm

So, the minimum width of the screen must be 1.696 nm