Wave interference and diffraction
PhysicsOscillations & WavesAges 16–17
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Sign in to playFour screens: a single source where you measure amplitude, frequency and wavelength; two coherent sources producing a hyperbolic interference pattern, where touching the wave field shows the path difference and the order of the fringe; Young's single and double slits with an intensity graph on the screen; and diffraction through a narrow slit or a circular aperture. The pattern is computed by superposing coherent circular waves using Huygens' principle, not drawn from a ready-made picture. Adapted from the "Wave Interference" simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder (CC BY 4.0); rewritten. Adapted from the "Waves Intro" simulation by PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado Boulder (CC BY 4.0); rewritten.
Lesson: Wave interference; Diffraction; Describing waves
How to use
Parameters you can change
- Screen Source, Interference, Young's slits, Diffraction
- Medium (Source) Water, Sound, Light
- Frequency f (Source) 0.4–2 Hz
- Amplitude A (Source) 0.3–1.5 cm
- Wavelength λ (Interference) 1–6 cm
- Source separation d (Interference) 2–14 cm
- Number of slits (Young's slits) 1 slit, 2 slits
- Slit width a 0.2–1 cm
- Slit separation d 2–8 cm
- Wavelength λ (Young's slits) 0.3–1.2 cm
- Slit–screen distance D 15–40 cm
- Aperture (Diffraction) Narrow slit, Circular hole
- Slit width b 1–4 cm
- Hole diameter 1–3 cm
- Wavelength λ (Diffraction) 0.3–0.8 cm
- Aperture–screen distance D 15–30 cm
- Show cross-section graph (Source)
- Show rulers (Source)
- Show timer (Source)
