BRAINCAKEDiffraction
Diffraction is the spreading out of waves as they pass through a gap or travel past the edge of an obstacle.
All types of wave diffract: water waves, sound, light and other electromagnetic waves. Diffraction is a property of waves, so observing it is strong evidence that something behaves as a wave.
In a ripple tank, straight (plane) wavefronts approach a barrier with a gap. Beyond the gap, the wavefronts curve and spread into the region behind the barrier that they could not reach if they travelled only in straight lines.
Sign in free to see the rest of this lesson, the R.E.C.I.P.E. recall steps and the quiz
BrainCake is free. Make an account in seconds and pick up where this page stops.
Key terms in this lesson
- wavefront
- A line or surface joining points on a wave that are in phase, often used to show the wave's direction of travel.
More in Waves
- Waves on a Stretched String
- Speed and Frequency of Waves on a Stretched String
- Investigating the Factors Affecting Fundamental Frequency
- Fundamental Frequency
- Factors Affecting Diffraction
- Single Slit Diffraction
- The Diffraction Grating
- Investigating Diffraction with a Laser
All 22 lessons in Waves · All Edexcel AS-level Physics topics