Diffraction
Diffraction is when waves spread out as they pass through a gap or around an obstacle. The amount of diffraction depends on the size of the gap compared to the wavelength of the waves.
Diffraction through a gap
When waves pass through a gap, they spread out on the other side. The amount of spreading depends on the size of the gap relative to the wavelength of the waves:
- If the gap is much larger than the wavelength, the waves spread out only a little.
- If the gap is about the same size as the wavelength, the waves spread out quite a lot.
- If the gap is much smaller than the wavelength, the waves spread out a lot.
flashcards
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is diffraction? | Diffraction is when waves spread out as they pass through a gap or around an obstacle. |
| What does the amount of diffraction depend on? | The size of the gap compared to the wavelength of the waves. |
| What happens when waves pass through a gap much larger than the wavelength? | The waves spread out only a little. |
| What happens when waves pass through a gap about the same size as the wavelength? | The waves spread out quite a lot. |
| What happens when waves pass through a gap much smaller than the wavelength? | The waves spread out a lot. |