Diffraction

What do we mean by diffraction?

Change in the directions and intensities of a group of waves after passing by an obstacle or through an aperture whose size is approximately the same as the wavelength of the waves. noun

In optics, the spreading of light or deflection of its rays, accompanied by phenomena of interference: occasioned by the neighborhood of an opaque body to the course of the light, as when it passes by the edge of an opaque body or through a small aperture, the luminous rays appearing to be bent or deflected from their straight course and mutually interfering with one another. See interference. noun

Thus, if a beam of monochromatic light is passed through a narrow slit and received on a screen in a dark room, a series of alternately light and dark bands or fringes is seen, which diminish in intensity and distinctness on either side of the central line; if white light is employed, a series of colored spectra of different orders is obtained. Similar phenomena of diffraction are obtained from diffraction gratings, which consist of a band of equidistant parallel lines (from 10,000 to 30,000 or more to the inch), ruled on a surface of glass or of polished metal; the spectra obtained by this means are called interference or diffraction spectra. They differ from prismatic spectra, since in them the colors are uniformly distributed in their true order and extent according to their difference in wave-length; while in the latter the less refrangible (red) rays are crowded together, and the more refrangible (blue, violet) are dispersed. Diffraction gratings are now much used, especially in studying the solar spectrum. The best gratings are ruled on speculum metal with a concave surface (often called Rowland gratings, after Professor Henry A. Rowland of Baltimore), and give an image of the spectrum directly, without the intervention of a lens. noun

Hence In acoustics, the analogous modification produced upon sound-waves when passing by the edge of a large body, as a building. noun

The deflection and decomposition of light in passing by the edges of opaque bodies or through narrow slits, causing the appearance of parallel bands or fringes of prismatic colors, as by the action of a grating of fine lines or bars. noun

See under Grating. noun

See under Spectrum. noun

The breaking up of an electromagnetic wave as it passes a geometric structure (e.g. a slit), followed by reconstruction of the wave by interference. noun

When light passes sharp edges or goes through narrow slits the rays are deflected and produce fringes of light and dark bands noun

The bending of a wave around an obstacle.

The breaking up of an electromagnetic wave as it passes a geometric structure (e.g. a slit), followed by reconstruction of the wave by interference.

Diffraction is the 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 the opening. If the opening is much larger than the light's wavelength, the bending will be almost unnoticeable Urban Dictionary

When dat shit different ;) Urban Dictionary

If you don't know the answer to a chemistry question, put "X-ray diffraction" Urban Dictionary

Words that are spelled similarly to diffraction:
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Adjectives that are often used to describe diffraction:
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Nouns that are often described by the adjective diffraction:
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