Light Passes Through a Pair of Very Thin Parallel Slits

question 49

Multiple Choice

Light passes through a pair of very thin parallel slits. The resulting interference pattern is viewed far from the slits at various angles θ relative to the centerline coming outward from the midpoint between the slits. The central bright fringe is at θ = 0°. If the central bright fringe has intensity I₀, what is the intensity of the next bright fringe on either side of it?

• A) I₀
• B) I_0/
• C) I₀/2
• D) I₀ cos 15°
• E) I₀ cos² 15°

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Definitions:

Axon

A long, slender projection of a nerve cell that typically conducts electrical impulses away from the neuron's cell body.

Myelin Sheath

A fatty layer that encases the axons of many neurons, crucial for increasing the speed at which electrical impulses propagate along the nerve cells.

Multiple Sclerosis

A chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the protective covering of nerves, affecting the brain and spinal cord.

Degeneration

The process of deterioration or decline in the quality, functioning, or condition of a living organism or its parts, often leading to loss of abilities or health.