Interference and diffraction are both phenomena that occur when waves encounter an obstacle or opening in their path, but they differ in their underlying mechanisms and the patterns they produce.
Interference occurs when two or more waves interact with each other in a region of space. When waves of the same frequency meet, they add together to produce a new wave that has a larger amplitude (constructive interference) or a smaller amplitude (destructive interference) than the individual waves. This creates a pattern of alternating bright and dark fringes, known as an interference pattern.
Diffraction, on the other hand, occurs when waves encounter an obstacle or aperture that is comparable in size to their wavelength. When waves encounter such an obstacle, they bend around it and spread out in all directions. This bending and spreading out of waves is known as diffraction, and it produces a pattern of light and dark bands or fringes that are characteristic of the shape and size of the obstacle or aperture.
In summary,
interference involves the interaction of waves with each other, resulting in the creation of an interference pattern.
Diffraction involves the bending and spreading out of waves around obstacles or apertures, resulting in the creation of a diffraction pattern.
