What is Diffraction?
- Waves tend to spread around corners as they pass through gaps, often called apertures.
- This tendency is called diffraction.
- An aperture is a hole or gap designed to restrict the width of a beam of light (or other radiation).
- Although diffraction is most common when it comes to light, it can occur for all sorts of waves!
- Diffraction is more evident when the wavelength is greater than, or similar to the size of the gap.
- The reason waves can turn corners is that the incoming wave transmits a disturbance by causing the medium to vibrate.
- If the aperture/gap is much larger than the wavelength, the diffraction will be minimal to nonexistent.
Sources
https://studiousguy.com/diffraction-examples/
https://ar.inspiredpencil.com/pictures-2023/what-is-diffraction