Dr Sudhir Chadra Sur Institute Of Technology and Sports complex

CA2 Assignment
Topic : Diffraction and Interference.
Subject : Physics
Subject Code : BS- PH-101

Submitted by : Debayan Maiti

Semester : 1st Sem
Depertment : CSE
Year : 1st
Session 2023 –24
Roll no : 51
University Roll no : 25500123067
Registration No : 232550110217

Diffraction
Diffraction is a slight bending of light as it passes around the edge of an object. The amount of
bending depends on the relative size of the wavelength of light to the size of opening. If the
opening is much larger than the lights wavelength bending will be almost unnoticible.

Diffraction refers to various phenomena that occur when a wave encounters an obstacleor a slit.
It is defined as the bending of light around the corners of an obstacle or apertureinto the region of
geometrical shadow of the obstacle.In classical physics, the diffraction phenomenon described
as the interference of wavesaccording to the Huygens -Fresnel principle. These characteristic
behaviors are exhibitedwhen a wave encounters an obstacle or a slit that is comparable in size to
its wavelength.Diffraction occurs with all waves, including sound waves, water waves, and
electromagnetic waves such as visible light, rays and radio waves.

When diffraction occurs? : Diffraction occurs when propagating waves encounter changes its
effects are generally most pronounced for waves whose wavelength is roughly comparable to
the dimentions to the diffracting object or slit. If the obstructing object provides multiple,
closely spaced opennings a complex pattern of varying intensity can result.This is due to the
addition, or interference, of different parts of a wave that travel to theobserver by different paths,
where different path lengths result in different phases. Theformalism of diffraction can also
describe the way in which waves of finite extent propagate in free space.

Types of diffraction : There are two types of diffraction. a. Single slit diffraction and b. double
slit diffraction.

Single Slit Diffraction: A long slit of infinitesimal width which is illuminated by light diffracts
the light into aseries of circular waves and the wave front which emerges from the slit is a
cylindricalwave of uniform intensity.A slit which is wider than a wavelength produces
interference effects in the spacedownstream of the slit. These can beexplained by assuming that
the slit behavesas though it has a large number of pointsources spaced evenly across the width
ofthe slit. The analysis of this system issimplified if we consider light of a single wavelength. If
the incident light is coherent,these sources all have the same phase.Light incident at a given point
in the space downstream of the slit is made up ofcontributions from each of these point sources
and if the relative phases of these
contributions vary by 2π or more, we may expect to find
minima and maxima in thediffracted light. Such phase differences are caused by differences in
the path lengths overwhich contributing rays reach the point from the slit.

Double Slit Diffraction :

If light consisted of classical particles and weilluminated two parallel slits, the expected
patternon screen simply be the sum of the two single slit patterns. In reality however, the pattern
changes toone with a series of light and dark bands.When this phenomenon was studied, it
indicated that light consists of waves asdistribution of brightness can be explained by the
alternately constructive and destructiveinterference of wave fronts.
Interference : n physics, interference is a phenomenon in which two coherent waves are
combined by adding their intensities or displacements with due consideration for their phase
difference. The resultant wave may have greater intensity (constructive interference) or lower
amplitude (destructive interference) if the two waves are in phase or out of phase, respectively.

Difference between Diffraction and Interference:

Diffraction Interference
It is the small result of interaction of light coming from different wavefront of
It is the small result of interaction of light two coherent sources.
coming from different parts of the same
wavefront

Interference fringes of same width.

Diffraction fringes are not of the same width.
All bright bands are not of same intensity. All bright bands are of same intensity.

Formula of Diffraction:
Formula of Interference : The formula of interference is d sin θ = m λ . (for m = 0, 1, −1, 2,
−2, . . . ), where d is the distance between the slits, θ is the angle relative to the incident direction,
and m is the order of the interference.

Similarities of Diffraction & Interference

 Diffraction is a special type of interference. It occurs when waves encounter an obstacle or aperture, bend around it, and
spread out and interfere with each other. Diffraction can be considered a special type of interference because it involves the
interaction of waves to produce observable effects.

 However, diffraction and interference are different in nature. Diffraction is caused by secondary wavelets that originate
from the same wave but occur from different parts of it. Interference is a property originated by waves from two different
coherent sources.

 Diffraction is also dependent on wavelength. For example, sound waves will bend, or diffract, around the corner because
their wavelengths are much larger than the corner's opening. However, visual light will not bend around the corner because
their wavelengths are extremely small compared to this opening.
 Acknowledgement
I would like to convey my heartfelt gratitude to my elder brother for his tremendous support and assistance in the completion of my project. I would
also like to thank to internet for providing me with this wonderful opportunity to work on a project with the topic Diffraction and Interference . The
completion of the project would not have been possible without their help and insights.
Thank You