## MarcLeclair 2 years ago DIfference between diffraction and interference?

1. Sjano

In short. Diffraction is the bending of waves around an obstacle, while interference is the meeting of two waves.

2. MarcLeclair

So wait, right now I'm studying both diffraction and interference. I just finished the interference unit and started diffraction. Intereference was more like the Young double slit experiment ( so $dsin \theta= m \lambda$. But the way Young experiment worked would be the same as the bending of waves around an obstacle no? wouldn't that be diffraction isntead of interference?

3. MarcLeclair

oh nevermind I understood my question hehe. Diffraction can occur with a single slit where as interference cannot cause theres only one source ( well one wave). But interference can happen withing diffraction when there are two slits or more?

4. Vincent-Lyon.Fr

Diffraction is a consequence of the interferences between all wavelets emitted by the different points in the slit. Diffraction is interference with many waves.

5. or_dobkowski

Walter lewin states that they are the same. Well they have the same physical reason! the meeting of different waves ofcourse according to huygens principle, every point in the wavefront can be considered as a spherical source So it is just a matter of agreement about the name for similar phenomenas