Asked by kelvin calin
Which diagram shows diffraction as light passes through an opening?
Wave fronts moving towards a boundary with a small opening. The wave fronts bend through the opening of the boundary and makes concentric circles on the other side.
Wave fronts moving towards a boundary with a small opening. The wave fronts bend through the opening of the boundary and makes concentric circles on the other side.
Wave fronts moving towards a boundary with a small opening. The wave fronts bend through the opening of the boundary and makes concentric circles on the other side.
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
The diagram you described — wavefronts approaching a barrier with a small opening, then bending through the opening and emerging as semicircular/concentric wavefronts on the other side — is the diffraction diagram.
Why:
- Huygens’ principle: every point in the aperture acts like a new point source, so the transmitted wavelets spread out and form circular/semicircular wavefronts.
- The spreading is strongest when the aperture size is comparable to the wavelength; for a very large aperture the wavefronts remain nearly straight (little diffraction).
So pick the diagram that shows the wavefronts emerging from the aperture as curved/concentric circles (not the one where they continue straight through).
Why:
- Huygens’ principle: every point in the aperture acts like a new point source, so the transmitted wavelets spread out and form circular/semicircular wavefronts.
- The spreading is strongest when the aperture size is comparable to the wavelength; for a very large aperture the wavefronts remain nearly straight (little diffraction).
So pick the diagram that shows the wavefronts emerging from the aperture as curved/concentric circles (not the one where they continue straight through).
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