Diffraction patterns

[Lorena Zhang 4E]

How does interacting waves give rise to diffraction patterns? Also, does the diffraction experiment(the slit experiment) need to be conducted under vacuum condition?

[Srikar_Ramshetty 1K]

For diffraction patterns to arise there must be a diffraction object, this object like a slit causes a shift in the 'waves' of light and this shift leads to waves interfering with one another. The patterns are caused by countless number of interactions which graphics can't really depict. To answer your second question, the experiment does not need to take place in a vacuum, since light is relatively unchanged by factors external to itself and will behave similarly within and without a vacuum.

Hope this helped!
- Srikar Ramshetty

[Lorena Zhang 4E]

Thank you. This helps a lot!