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If the monochromatic source in Young's double slit experiment is replaced by white light, then

Asked in NEET 2024 · Fringe width and fringe position

Answer: (1) There will be a central bright white fringe surrounded by a few coloured fringes

Step-by-step solution

At the centre of the screen the path difference is zero for every wavelength, so every colour has a maximum there and together they give white.

Away from the centre the fringe width β=(λ D)/d is different for each colour, so the maxima of different colours separate and the first few fringes on either side are coloured.

Further out the colours overlap so much that the screen looks uniformly white.

So there is a central white fringe with a few coloured fringes around it.

Why the other options are wrong

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