PASCO WA-9316A Complete Microwave Optics System - Manual (Page 37)

Experiment Guide Teacher’s Guide
37
4. When the transmitter and polarizer are at 90°, the wave is completely blocked. Placing a polarizer at 45°, however, intro-
duces a component of the wave parallel to the receiver so that some of the wave is then picked up.
Experiment 6: Double-Slit Interference
Answers to Questions
1. For the 7.6 cm spacing, the maxima should occur at 22° and 48°.
2. For the 10.6 cm spacing, the maxima should be at 15°, 33°, and 54°.
• These theoretical values are closely matched by the experimental data. The theory assumes that the distance between slit
plates and receiver are large compared to the slit spacing and wavelength. This requirement is barely met in the experi-
mental setup used, and could cause trouble in some situations.
3. The single-slit pattern (see experiment 7) acts as an upper limit to the multiple-slit pattern from this experiment.
General Notes
1. The position of the experimenter has a definite effect on the measurements in this experiment. Experiment to find just how
much effect there is with your particular setup, and then take your data accordingly.