A parallel monochromatic beam of light is incident normally on a narrow slit. A diffraction pattern is formed on a screen placed perpendicular to the direction of the incident beam. At the first minimum of the diffraction pattern, the phase difference between the rays coming from the two edges of the slit is

Options

A. zero and the diffraction pattern vanishes
B. `(pi)/(2)`
C. `pi`
D. `2pi`

Answer

D

Explanation

At the first minimum of the diffraction pattern the rays coming from the two edges of the slit have a path difference `=lambda` and phase difference =2pi.