CBSE Class 12-science Answered

Dear student

Difference between Interference & Diffraction:

1) Interference is occurred when two sources of light superimpose whereas diffraction is bending of waves (waves spread out from a point) around an obstacle. In interference, superimposition takes place between two separate wave fronts coming from coherent source while in diffraction the superimposing of wave take place between the secondary wavelets from different points of same wave front.

2) The region of minimum intensity (dark band) in interference is perfectly dark whereas in diffraction is not perfectly dark i.e. it does not show completely dark intensity band.

3) In interference pattern, all the maxima’s and all the minima’s are equally intensified while in diffraction pattern the intensity decreases as we move on either sides of the central band.

4) In interference pattern the width of the all fringes is almost equal while in the diffraction pattern the fringe width is never the same.