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JEEPhysicsWave OpticsClass 12

What is the difference between interference and diffraction?

Interference is the overlap of waves from two (or few) coherent sources giving equal-width fringes; diffraction is the bending/spreading of a wave from a single aperture giving a bright, wide central band.

Interference is the overlap of waves from two (or few) coherent sources giving equal-width fringes; diffraction is the bending/spreading of a wave from a single aperture giving a bright, wide central band. A reliable way to keep them apart is to focus on what each one is defined by, not just the similar-sounding words.

Key point

interference vs diffraction

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More on Wave Optics

Why does a soap bubble or a film of oil on water show swirling rainbow colours?In Young's double-slit experiment, what happens to the fringes if I move the slits closer together?If I do the double-slit experiment underwater, do the fringes change?Why does light passing through a single very narrow slit spread into a broad bright band instead of a sharp line?How do Polaroid sunglasses cut the glare off water and roads?Why can't the headlights of two different cars ever produce an interference pattern?