Error Checking Single Slit Diffraction Equation for Bright Lines

[donotremember]

I believe there are a number of errors in my physics correspondence course and I plan to include a page listing them when I write my final exam, but I would first like to make sure they are errors and not due to my lack of understanding.

1) "The coulomb is defined as the amount of charge passing any point in a circuit when a current of one Ampere is flowing."

I believe this should be

"The coulomb is defined as the amount of charge passing any point in a circuit when a current of one Ampere is flowing for a period of second."

2) For single slit diffraction the equation listed for finding bright lines other than the central one is

(n+ 1/2λ)/w

I believe this should be

(n+1/2)λ/wwhere n is the nth bright line λ; is the wavelength of the light and w is the slit width.

 

[Dick]

Your understanding is correct. The correspondence course is sloppy. Both of those statements are dimensionally wrong. The most fundamental sort of wrong.

 

[nlightner]

Thank you for bringing these potential errors to our attention. As a scientist, it is important to always question and double check information to ensure accuracy.

In regards to the definition of the coulomb, you are correct. The coulomb is defined as the amount of charge passing any point in a circuit when a current of one Ampere is flowing for a period of one second. This is an important clarification to make, as it specifies the time interval in which the current is flowing.

For the single slit diffraction equation, you are also correct. The correct equation for finding bright lines other than the central one is (n+1/2)λ/w, where n is the nth bright line, λ is the wavelength of the light, and w is the slit width. This is a common mistake and it is important to use the correct equation to accurately calculate the positions of the bright lines.

In general, it is always a good practice to double check equations and definitions to ensure accuracy. If you have any further concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Good luck on your final exam.