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Physics Tutorial 12.4 - Interference and Diffraction of Light

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There are 4 lessons in this physics tutorial covering Interference and Diffraction of Light. The tutorial starts with an introduction to Interference and Diffraction of Light and is then followed with a list of the separate lessons, the tutorial is designed to be read in order but you can skip to a specific lesson or return to recover a specific physics lesson as required to build your physics knowledge of Interference and Diffraction of Light. you can access all the lessons from this tutorial below.

In this Physics tutorial, you will learn:

  • Is there any diffraction in light waves?
  • Why diffraction and interference of light are related phenomena?
  • How to obtain light diffraction on a screen using a single slit?
  • What Young Double-Slit Experiment is used for?
  • Why diffraction gratings are used in technology?
  • How to find wavelength of a light wave using diffraction gratings?

Introduction to Interference and Diffraction of Light

Do you think light rays can bend around obstacles? What dimensions these obstacles must have to observe this phenomenon?

Is it possible for a light ray to pass through a small hole? Does it bend during this process?

When you turn on two identical bulbs placed at different positions inside the same room, you can observe some dark and bright concentric circles on the wall. Why do they occur?

Do you think two light waves can overlap? What conditions must they meet in order to make this phenomenon occur?

In this tutorial, we discuss interference and diffraction of light - two phenomena that require very specific conditions to take place. Also, the tools used to obtain the interference and diffraction of light waves are discussed and explained. Hence, this is a very special topic - one of the most important in the Physical Optics.

Please select a specific "Interference and Diffraction of Light" lesson from the table below, review the video tutorial, print the revision notes or use the practice question to improve your knowledge of this physics topic.

Optics Learning Material
Tutorial IDPhysics Tutorial TitleTutorialVideo
Tutorial
Revision
Notes
Revision
Questions
12.4Interference and Diffraction of Light
Lesson IDPhysics Lesson TitleLessonVideo
Lesson
12.4.1Does the Diffraction of Light Wave Exist?
12.4.2Single Slit Diffraction Formula
12.4.3Young's Double-Slit Experiment
12.4.4Diffraction Gratings

Whats next?

Enjoy the "Interference and Diffraction of Light" physics tutorial? People who liked the "Interference and Diffraction of Light" tutorial found the following resources useful:

  1. Physics tutorial Feedback. Helps other - Leave a rating for this tutorial (see below)
  2. Optics Revision Notes: Interference and Diffraction of Light. Print the notes so you can revise the key points covered in the physics tutorial for Interference and Diffraction of Light
  3. Optics Practice Questions: Interference and Diffraction of Light. Test and improve your knowledge of Interference and Diffraction of Light with example questins and answers
  4. Check your calculations for Optics questions with our excellent Optics calculators which contain full equations and calculations clearly displayed line by line. See the Optics Calculators by iCalculator™ below.
  5. Continuing learning optics - read our next physics tutorial: Dispersion of Light

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