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IB DP Physics Questions

9.2 Single-Slit Diffraction

Question 1

Which principle states that every point on a wavefront acts as a source of secondary wavelets?

A. Newton's principle

B. Huygens' principle

C. Doppler's principle

D. Fermat's principle

Question 2

The central maximum in a single-slit diffraction pattern is observed to be wider than the subsequent maxima. What is the primary reason for this?

A. Interference of waves

B. Polarisation of light

C. Dispersion of light

D. Geometry of the slit

Question 3

Which of the following factors will increase the width of the central maximum in a single-slit diffraction pattern?

A. Decreasing the slit width

B. Increasing the frequency of light

C. Decreasing the screen distance

D. Increasing the speed of light

Question 4

For a single-slit diffraction pattern, the first minimum occurs when the path difference between waves from the top and bottom of the slit is:

A. λ/2

B. λ

C. 2λ

D. 3λ/2

Question 5

If the wavelength of light used in a single-slit diffraction experiment is doubled, the width of the central maximum will:

A. Remain the same

B. Halve

C. Double

D. Quadruple

Question 6

a) What is Huygens' principle and how does it relate to diffraction? [3]

b) A single slit has a width of 0.5 mm. If monochromatic light of wavelength 650 nm is shone on the slit, what is the width of the central maximum on a screen 1.5 m away from the slit? [4]

Question 7

a) How does the central maxima differ from the subsequent minima in a diffraction pattern? [3]

b) For a slit width of 0.2 mm and light of wavelength 500 nm, what is the angle to the first minima in the diffraction pattern? [3]

Question 8

a) How does the width of the central maxima change with an increase in slit width in a single-slit diffraction pattern? [2]

b) In a single slit diffraction setup with a slit width of 0.3 mm, how does the width of the central maxima change if the wavelength of the light used is doubled? [3]

Question 9

a) Explain Huygens' principle and its significance in understanding wavefronts. [3]

b) A single slit has a width of 0.5 mm. Monochromatic light of wavelength 650 nm is incident on the slit. Calculate the width of the central maximum on a screen placed 1.5 m away from the slit. [4]

c) How would the width of the central maximum change if the wavelength of the light used is decreased? [2]

Question 10

a) Describe the difference between the central maxima and the subsequent minima observed in a diffraction pattern. [3]

b) What factors determine the position and width of the first minima in a diffraction pattern? [3]

c) If the slit width is increased, how does it affect the position of the first minima? [2]

Question 11

In a single-slit diffraction experiment, the slit width is halved while keeping all other factors constant. The width of the central maximum will:

A. Remain the same

B. Halve

C. Double

D. Quadruple

Question 12

Which of the following factors has no effect on the position of the first minimum in a single-slit diffraction pattern?

A. Slit width

B. Wavelength of light

C. Distance between the slit and the screen

D. Speed of light

Question 13

In a single-slit diffraction experiment, if the distance between the slit and the screen is increased, the width of the central maximum will:

A. Increase

B. Decrease

C. Remain the same

D. Become zero

Question 14

For a given single-slit diffraction experiment, the central maximum is observed to be 4 cm wide on a screen placed 2 m away. If the screen is moved to a distance of 4 m, the width of the central maximum will be:

A. 2 cm

B. 4 cm

C. 8 cm

D. 16 cm

Question 15

In a single-slit diffraction experiment, the angle of diffraction for the first minimum is found to be θ. If the slit width is doubled, the new angle of diffraction for the first minimum will be:

A. θ/2

B. θ

C. 2θ

D. 4θ

Question 16

a) What is meant by "overdamping" in the context of simple harmonic motion? How does it differ from "underdamping" and "critical damping"? [4]

b) A pendulum is set into motion and exhibits damped oscillations. If the damping force is directly proportional to the velocity of the pendulum, which type of damping is it experiencing? [2]

c) How does the damping force affect the frequency of oscillation of the pendulum? [3]

Question 17

a) What is resonance in the context of simple harmonic motion? [3]

b) How is natural frequency different from forced frequency in a system exhibiting simple harmonic motion? [3]

c) Describe a real-world scenario where resonance can be observed and explain the underlying physics. [3]

Question 18

a) Define the term 'diffraction' in the context of wave optics. [2]

b) A single slit is illuminated with light of wavelength 500 nm. If the width of the slit is 0.2 mm, calculate the angle at which the first diffraction minimum occurs. [3]

c) How would the angle of the first diffraction minimum change if the slit width is reduced to 0.1 mm while keeping the wavelength constant? [3]

d) Explain the significance of the central maximum in a single-slit diffraction pattern. [2]

Question 19

a) Describe the phenomenon of 'overdamping' in the context of damped harmonic motion. [2]

b) If a system is critically damped, what can be inferred about its return to equilibrium? [3]

c) How does the damping force affect the amplitude of oscillation in a damped harmonic system? [3]

d) In a resonance phenomenon, what happens to the amplitude of oscillation when the frequency of the external force matches the natural frequency of the system? [2]

Question 20

a) What is the significance of Huygens' principle in understanding the phenomenon of diffraction? [3]

b) A single slit produces a diffraction pattern on a screen. If the distance between the slit and the screen is increased, how does it affect the width of the central maximum? [3]

c) Explain the term 'redshift' in the context of light diffraction. [3]

d) How does the width of a slit affect the diffraction pattern produced on a screen? [3]

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