Diffraction patterns

[ramiro_romero]

I undertstand that diffraction patterns result from constructive and destructive interference but what is the difference between the 2 and how do I identify them?

[SarahCoufal_1k]

I'm not sure how to identify them. But constructive interference occurs when two light sourced are in phase with each other, such as peak on peak. This can result in bigger peaks. Destructive interference occurs when the light waves are not in phase with each other and as a result are smaller peaks

[Cavalli_1H]

constructive interference is when the maxima of two waves add together and the waves are in phase w each other and destructive interference is when the waves are out of phase and cancel each other out rather than adding together.

[Sreyes_1C]

I like to remember that two in phase waves leads to constructive and two out of phase lead to destructive. What helps me is drawing out what in phase/out of phase waves would look like to visualize how it would lead to destructive or constructive.

[EricZhao3G]

Constructive interference occurs when two waves are in phase and "add" to each other. This happens when both waves are positive or negative at the same time so their amplitudes will increase after they collide. Destructive interference is the opposite and occurs when two waves are out of phase and "cancel" each other out, resulting in smaller amplitudes.