Concept explainers
Why can we readily observe diffraction effects for sound waves and water waves, but not for light? Is this because light travels so much faster than these other waves? Explain.
Explanation of Solution
The light waves have very short wavelength as compare to the wavelength of the sound waves and water waves. Due to this light waves undergo very little diffraction which cannot be observed.
The diffraction of a wave depends on the wavelength of the wave. The larger will be the wavelength the more the diffraction is easily observed because commonly available apertures are of the size of the wavelength of sound waves. As the wavelength of the light is very small, the diffraction in the light is not easily observed because commonly available apertures are not of the size of the wavelength of light waves.
Conclusion:
Therefore, the diffraction effect cannot be observed for light waves because the light carries very shorter wavelength.
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