Question
Clear the difference between interference and diffraction.
✓
Answer
| S.No. | Interference | Diffraction |
| 1. | Interference occurs due to the superposition of two or more in phase waves of the same frequency. | Diffractioon occurs due to superposition of secondary wavelets emitted from the same wave front. |
| 2. | In the interference pattern all illuminated fringes have the same intensity. | In the diffraction pattern, the intensity of the central illuminated fringe is maximum and the intensity of other illuminated fringes is in decreasing order. |
| 3. | In the interference pattern of waves of equal amplitude the intensity of the dark fringe is zero. | The dark fringes in the diffraction pattern are not to zero intensity |
| 4. | The fringes in an interference pattern are generally of equal width. | The fringes in a diffraction pattern are always of unequal width. |
| 5. | There is a good contrast between bright and dark particles. | There is poor contrast in bright or fork fringes. |
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