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  1. Diffraction - Wikipedia

    Diffraction is the deviation of waves from straight-line propagation due to an obstacle or through an aperture, without any change in their energy.

  2. Diffraction | Definition, Examples, Types, & Facts | Britannica

    Apr 17, 2026 · Diffraction, the spreading of waves around obstacles. Diffraction takes place with sound; with electromagnetic radiation, such as light, X-rays, and gamma rays; and with very small moving …

  3. Diffraction: Definition, Physics, Equation, and Formula

    Nov 17, 2022 · Diffraction is the bending or spreading of light waves around an obstacle. The obstacle can be an aperture or slit whose size is approximately the same as the wavelength of light.

  4. 17.1 Understanding Diffraction and Interference - OpenStax

    The bending of a wave around the edges of an opening or an obstacle is called diffraction. Diffraction is a wave characteristic that occurs for all types of waves. If diffraction is observed for a phenomenon, it …

  5. What Is Diffraction? The Physics of Spreading Waves

    May 27, 2025 · Diffraction is the phenomenon where waves bend, spread, or interfere when they encounter an obstacle or pass through a narrow opening. The effect is subtle yet profound.

  6. 4: Diffraction - Physics LibreTexts

    Diffraction can send a wave around the edges of an opening or other obstacle. A single slit produces an interference pattern characterized by a broad central maximum with narrower and dimmer maxima to …

  7. What Is Diffraction? Definition, Types & Examples - ScienceInsights

    Mar 10, 2026 · Diffraction is how waves bend around obstacles and openings. Learn how it works, how it differs from refraction, and where it shows up in everyday life.

  8. The phenomenon of diffraction results when a wave interacts with an object or aperture whose size is comparable to the wavelength of the wave interacting with it.

  9. Diffraction of light - GeeksforGeeks

    Jul 23, 2025 · Diffraction describes a specialized case of light scattering in which an object with regularly repeating features (such as a diffraction grating) produces an orderly diffraction of light in a diffraction …

  10. DIFFRACTION Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

    May 16, 2026 · The meaning of DIFFRACTION is a modification which light undergoes especially in passing by the edges of opaque bodies or through narrow openings and in which the rays appear to …