5 Questions
Who coined the word diffraction?
Francesco Maria Grimaldi
What is diffraction?
The interference or bending of waves around the corners of an obstacle or through an aperture into the region of geometrical shadow of the obstacle/aperture.
How is the diffraction phenomenon described in classical physics?
Described by the Huygens–Fresnel principle that treats each point in a propagating wavefront as a collection of individual spherical wavelets.
When is the characteristic bending pattern of diffraction most pronounced?
When a wave from a coherent source encounters a slit/aperture that is comparable in size to its wavelength.
What happens when a wave encounters a slit/aperture that is comparable in size to its wavelength?
The addition, or interference, of different points on the wavefront (or, equivalently, each wavelet) that travel by paths of different lengths to the register.
Test your knowledge of diffraction with this quiz! Explore the phenomenon of wave interference and bending around obstacles and apertures. Learn about the pioneering work of Italian scientist Francesco Maria Grimaldi and his accurate observations of diffraction.
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