Topic 1 : Diffraction

What is Diffraction?
 Diffraction is the spreading out of waves when they pass an obstruction
o This obstruction is typically a narrow slit (an aperture)
 The extent of diffraction depends on the width of the gap compared with the
wavelength of the waves
o Diffraction is the most prominent when the width of the slit is approximately
equal to the wavelength

Fig 1 : Diffraction: when a wave passes through a narrow gap, it spreads out
 Diffraction is usually represented by a wavefront as shown by the vertical lines in
the diagram above
 The only property of a wave that changes when its diffracted is its amplitude
o This is because some energy is dissipated when a wave is diffracted through
a gap
 Diffraction can also occur when waves curve around an edge:

Fig 2 When a wave goes past the edge of a barrier, the waves can curve around it
Some diffraction pattern
Diffraction at gap
Diffraction at the edge
Diffraction Experiments
 As discussed above, the effects of diffraction are most prominent when the gap size
is approximately the same or smaller than the wavelength of the wave
 As the gap size increases, the effect gradually gets less pronounced until, in the case
that the gap is much larger than the wavelength, the waves are no longer spread out

Fig 3 : The size of the gap (compared to the wavelength) affects how much the waves
spread out

 Ripple tanks are used a common experiment to demonstrate diffraction of water

waves

Fig 4 : Wave effects may all be demonstrated using a ripple tank

  The diagram below shows how the wavelengths differ with frequency in a ripple
tank
o The higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength
o The lower the frequency, the longer the wavelength

:
Fig 5 Ripple tank patterns for low and high frequency vibration

Diffraction at the edge of hill :

Radio waves has greater wavelength hence diffracts and spread more at the top edge of hill and
reach the house (place ) beyond the hill .
Besides microwave has small wavelength hence does not diffracts and spread at the top
edge of hill and cant reach the house (place ) beyond the hill .