ASPhysicsCIEExam Questions8. Superposition8.4 The Diffraction Grating

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First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

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The Diffraction Grating (CIE AS Physics)

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8.4 The Diffraction Grating

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8.4 The Diffraction Grating

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1
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A diffraction pattern is observed when monochromatic light is incident on a diffraction grating.

Which row describes the effect of replacing the grating with one that has more lines per metre?

 

Number of orders of diffraction visible

Angle between first and second orders of diffraction

A

B

C

D

increases

increases

decreases

decreases

increases

decreases

increases

decreases

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    2
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    The diagram shows a diffraction grating and a monochromatic source of light with wavelength (λ).

    q5_diffraction_aqa-as-physics-mcq

    What happens to the angle of diffraction (θ) when the wavelength of light is increased, but all the other equipment remains the same?

    • The angle of diffraction remains the same

    • The angle of diffraction is decreased

    • The angle of diffraction is increased

    • There is not enough information to know what will happen

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    3
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    The diagram shows a diffraction grating with a slit distance (d) and a monochromatic source of light incident on the grating.

    q6_diffraction_aqa-as-physics-mcq

    What happens to the angle of diffraction when the distance between the slits on the grating is reduced?

    • The angle of diffraction remains the same

    • The angle of diffraction is decreased

    • The angle of diffraction is increased

    • There is not enough information to know what will happen

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    4
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    Monochromatic light incident on a diffraction grating creates both primary and secondary maxima in the diffraction pattern.

    What is the relationship between the number of slits in the diffraction grating, when the number of slits is less than 20, and the number of secondary maxima that can be observed on the screen?

    • The number of primary and secondary maxima in each diffraction pattern is the same

    • The number of secondary maxima in the diffraction pattern is always one less than the number of primary maxima. 

    • The number of secondary maxima in the diffraction pattern is always the same as the number of slits in the diffraction grating

    • The number of secondary maxima between the primary maxima is always two less than the number of slits in the diffraction grating

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    5
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    What is a diffraction grating?

    • Two slits created as two gaps within a material through which waves can be diffracted

    • A plate consisting of a very large number of parallel, identical, closely-spaced slits

    • A circular aperture through which light can be diffracted and then images resolved

    • A photographic filter that allows light in only one plane to pass through

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    1
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    A beam of monochromatic light with a wavelength of 690 nm is directed at a diffraction grating with 300 lines per mm as shown in the diagram

    cie-ial-images409png

    This set up produces a series of maxima on the screen, what is the greatest number of maxima that can be observed?

    • 9

    • 8

    • 5

    • 4

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    2
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    Monochromatic light with a wavelength of 600 nm is observed through a diffraction grating with 500 lines per mm.

    The light is first passed through a narrow slit where the lines from the slit are parallel to the lines in the grating.

    cie-ial-images415png

    The observer changes position to; R – parallel with the grating, S – opposite the slit, T – parallel to the grating on the opposite side.

    What is the total number of images they would see from R, S and T combined?

    • 7

    • 6

    • 4

    • 3

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    3
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    A student set up an experiment with a diffraction grating. They put a narrow beam of monochromatic light incident along the normal. They found that the third-order diffracted beams are formed at angles of 45° to the original direction.

    Which of the following gives the highest order of diffracted beam produced by this grating ?

    • 6th

    • 5th 

    • 4th 

    • 3rd 

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    1
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    The wavelength of monochromatic light can be determined using a diffraction grating. This is shown in the diagram.

    cie-ial-images422png

    The angle between the first-order diffraction maxima is 60°, and the spacing of the slits is 1.15 × 10–6 m.

     What is the wavelength of the light?

    • 575 nm

    • 498 nm

    • 996 nm

    • 287 nm

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    2
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    When a parallel beam of white light is incident to normally on a diffraction grating the second-order and third-order spectra partially overlap.

     When the second order wavelength is 600 nm, which of the following third-order wavelengths would appear at the same angle?

    • 900 nm

    • 600 nm

    • 400 nm

    • 300 nm

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    3
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    Yellow light with a wavelength of 600 nm is used in a diffraction grating experiment. The grating has a slit separation of 2.00 μm.

    cie-ial-images416png

    What would be the angular separation between the first order and second order maxima?

    • 54.3°

    • 36.9°

    • 19.4°

    • 17.5°

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    4
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    An experiment was set up to investigate light passing through a diffraction grating with slit spacing d. The fringe pattern was observed on a screen.

    cie-ial-images418png

    Which of the following gives the angle between the two first-order lines?

    • 2 space s i n to the power of negative 1 end exponent open parentheses fraction numerator lambda over denominator 2 d end fraction close parentheses

    • 2 space sin to the power of negative 1 end exponent open parentheses lambda over d close parentheses

    • sin to the power of negative 1 end exponent open parentheses fraction numerator lambda over denominator 2 d end fraction close parentheses

    • sin to the power of negative 1 end exponent open parentheses lambda over d close parentheses

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    5
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    A student carried out an experiment on monochromatic light with a wavelength of 5.30 × 10–7 m. They set up the source so that it was incident normally to the diffraction grating.

    The student observed that the first-order maximum of was 15.4° to the direction of the incident light.

     What would be the angle between the first order and second order maxima?

    • 32.1°

    • 16.7°

    • 15.4°

    • 7.6°

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    6
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    A monochromatic light beam is incident normally to a double slit and nine maximas are observed on the screen.

    What is the range for the angle θ between the central and first-order maxima?

    • 5.74° less or equal than θ  less or equal than 6.38°

    • 9.59° < θ  ≤ 11.5°

    • 11.5° < θ  ≤ 14.5degree

    • 11.5° < θ  < 53.1°

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    7
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    Fig. 1.1 shows a monochromatic light beam which is incident normally to a double slit. The angle between the central and second-order maxima is 18°.

    cie-8-2-mcq-hard-q4-cie-ial-physics

    Fig. 1.1

    What is the angle between the two third-order maxima lines?

    • 27.6°

    • 36.0°

    • 54.0°

    • 55.2°

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