I can't figure out what I am doing wrong Getting Frustrated

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In summary, the problem involves a helium-neon laser with a wavelength of 629 nm and a diffraction grating. The distance between two m=3 bright fringes on a screen 1.72 m behind the grating is given as 33 cm. Using the equation d*sin theta = m*lamda, the spacing between the slits of the grating can be calculated as 1.00x10^-5 m. However, the angle used in the equation should be half of 10.86º or 5.43º.
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BuBbLeS01
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I can't figure out what I am doing wrong! Getting Frustrated!

Homework Statement


A helium-neon laser (λ=629 nm) illuminates a diffraction grating. The distance between the two m=3 bright fringes is 33 cm on a screen 1.72 m behind the grating. What is the spacing between slits of the grating?


Homework Equations


Lamda = 629 nm
m = 3
y = 0.33 m
L = 1.72 m
d = ?


The Attempt at a Solution


What I did was tan theta = y/L = 0.33/1.72 = 1086 degrees
then I used the equation d*sin theta = m*lamda
and solved for d... d = m*lamda/sin theta = 1.00x10^-5 m but I am getting it wrong...what am I not doing right?
 
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  • #2
If I'm understanding this problem statement correctly, it is giving you the distance between the m=3 maxima on either side of the midline. This means that each of these fringes is half of 10.86º away from the midline, or 5.43º.

So I think this may be the angle you are to use in the diffraction equation, with m = 3 and lambda = 629·10^-9 m.
 
  • #3
oh ok thank you that's it!
 

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