Why do light form an interference pattern when passing through only one slit?

In summary, the conversation discusses the formation of interference patterns when a single water wave or monochromatic light passes through a single slit. It is clarified that the resulting pattern is actually a diffraction pattern, which consists of maxima and minima fringes. This is different from interference patterns formed by two or more wavefronts. The confusion is resolved and thanks are given for the clarification.
  • #1
tastoon
4
0
Hi guys, i know that if we were to have one water wave passing through two slit, an interference pattern would be form. However, i am still unclear of the kind of the pattern that will be form when a single water wave were to pass through a single slit. Will it form an interference pattern too? If so, how does the interference pattern form when there were no two coherent waves interacting with each other?

This also applies to monochromatic light passing through a single slit.. will it form an interference pattern just like when it passes through two slit?
 
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  • #2
What you are referring to are DIFFRACTION patterns.
These can consist of maxima and minima fringes but their formation is subtly different from interference max and min formed by 2 or more wavefronts.
 
  • #3
Oh i see, yea i got kinda mixed up... many thanks!
 

1. What is an interference pattern?

An interference pattern is a pattern of light and dark bands that are formed when two or more waves interact with each other. In the case of light passing through one slit, the waves that interact are the waves of light passing through the slit and the waves reflecting off of the edges of the slit.

2. Why does light form an interference pattern when passing through only one slit?

This phenomenon occurs because of the wave nature of light. When light passes through a narrow slit, it diffracts, meaning that it spreads out and creates a pattern of overlapping waves. These waves then interfere with each other, causing some areas to have constructive interference (bright spots) and other areas to have destructive interference (dark spots).

3. How is the interference pattern affected by the size of the slit?

The interference pattern is affected by the size of the slit in two ways. First, the narrower the slit, the more diffraction occurs, resulting in a wider interference pattern. Second, the wider the slit, the more the individual waves of light overlap, resulting in a narrower interference pattern.

4. Can the interference pattern be seen with other types of waves besides light?

Yes, the interference pattern can be seen with any type of wave, including sound waves and water waves. This is because all waves exhibit the properties of diffraction and interference.

5. How does the distance between the slit and the screen affect the interference pattern?

The distance between the slit and the screen affects the interference pattern by changing the angle at which the waves of light reach the screen. As the distance increases, the angle decreases, resulting in a wider interference pattern. Additionally, the distance also affects the spacing between the bright and dark spots of the pattern.

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