Analysing diffraction of

waves
 Diffraction of waves
The spreading or bending of waves
as they pass through an aperture or
round the edge of a barrier.
The amount the wave bends depends
on the size of the aperture or barrier.
The smaller the aperture by
comparison , the more wave bends.
 Diffraction of waves
When the diffraction of a wave
happened , the wavelength ,,the
frequency, f and the speed , v do not
change .
But the amplitude of the waves
decrease.
The direction of propagation and the
pattern of the wave change.
 Diffraction of water waves

Untuk menyiasat pembelauan

gelombang air To investigate the
diffraction of water waves an
obstacle is placed at the centre of a
ripple tank.
The following figure shows two
examples pattern of the diffraction of
the water waves.
 Diffraction of water waves

(a) Size of aperture >

 Diffraction of water waves

(b) Size of aperture

 Diffraction of water waves

(c) Edge of a obstacle

 Diffraction of water waves

(d) Small obstacle

The experiment to investigate the relationship
between the size of aperture and the angle of
bent

Hypothesis:
The angle of bent increases as the size of
aperture decreases
Aim of the experiment :
To investigate the relationship between the
angle of bent and the size of aperture
Variables in the experiment:
Manipulated variable: size of aperture
Responding variable: angle of bent
Fixed variable: frequency of vibrator
 List of apparatus and materials:
Ripple tank, lamp, motor ,wooden bar , power
supply white paper , two pieces metal bar,metre
rule, protractor and mechanical stroboscope.
Arrangement of the apparatus:
 The procedure of the experiment which
include the method of controlling the
manipulated variable and the method of
measuring the responding variable.
By using a metre rule , the width of the slit is
measured = a
The power supply is switched on to produce plane
waves which propagate towards the aperture.
The waves are freeze by a mechanical
stroboscope.
The waves are sketched on the screen.
By using a protractor , the angle of bent =
The experiment is repeated 5 times for with
different widths of slit.
 Tabulate the data:
a

Analysis the data:

Plot the graph against a
Diffraction of light waves
The diffraction of light waves occur when
the light waves pass through a small slit
or small pin hole.
Diffraction occurs at all edges where
waves can spread round into the shadow
region. Thus a narrow object like a fine
wire or a human hair can show the
diffraction fringes at its edges similar to
those produced by a small single slit.
Diffraction of light waves
The diagram shows the diffraction
fringes.

The wider middle bright fringe shows that

the light
waves diffracted after pass through a
small slit.
The experiment to investigate the
relationship between the size of slit and
the wide of the middle bright fringe

Hypothesis:
The wide of the middle bright fringe increases as the size
of slit decreases
Aim of the experiment :
To investigate the relationship the wide of the middle
bright fringe increases and the size of slit decreases

Variables in the experiment:

Manipulated variable: size of slit
Responding variable: the wide of the middle bright fringe
Fixed variable: the monochromatic light (one wavelength
only)
Pemboleh ubah dalam eksperimen:
List of apparatus and materials:
Monochromatic light source, single slit plate, metre
rule
Arrangement of the apparatus
The procedure of the experiment
which include the method of
controlling the manipulated variable
and the method of measuring the
responding variable.
The width of the slit is recorded = a
The light beam from the source is
directed towards the slit.
By using a metre rule , measure the
wide of the middle bright fringe = x
The experiment is repeated 5 times for
with different widths of slit.
Tabulate the data:
a
x

Analysis the data:

Plot the graph x against a
 Diffraction of sound waves

Sound diffracts very readily.

This is why we can hear sound round a
corner, or behind an obstacle.
The reason is the sound waves have
long wavelengths in air, ranging from a
few centimetres up to several metres.
As we have already seen, long
wavelength waves diffract more readily
than those with short wavelengths.
 Diffraction of sound waves
To investigate the diffraction of sound
waves the following experiment can
be done
A listener is requested to
stand on the other side of the
corner of the wall so that the
radio is beyond his vision.
The listener is able to hear
the sound of the radio
although it is behind the wall.
It is because the sound of the
radio spreads around the
corner of the wall due to
diffraction of sound.