![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://www.dartofscience.com/video/diy-diffraction/&media=http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/holey-light-show.jpg&description=<a href="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m14s635.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-712" src="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m14s635-300x169.png" alt="vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m14s635" width="300" height="169" /></a>The phenomenon here is diffraction. It is a property exhibited by all kinds of waves, from sound waves, mechanical waves to electromagnetic waves like light. When a wave travelling through space enters a gap or a slit, it bends around the edges of the slit while passing through it. The more comparable the size of the slit to the wavelength of the wave, the higher this bending will be. In this case, we observe light waves passing through tiny holes made in a piece of cardboard. When light from the round light source passes through the square hole, it bends around the square edges, trying to regain its original shape. This is why the result looks round. On the whole, the phenomenon of diffraction depends on the following factors - the dimensions of the slit (d), the wavelength of the light passing through the slit (λ) and the distance between the slit and the screen (D). The extent of diffraction can be measured by the distance on the screen at which the image of the slit 'spills'. If this distance is 'y', then y amounts to : y = λD/d.
<a href="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m53s005.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-713 alignright" src="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m53s005-300x169.png" alt="vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m53s005" width="300" height="169" /></a>
This means that the amount of diffraction is directly proportional to the wavelength of light and the distance between the slit and the screen. Diffraction causes light to bend around the edges of the slit, and traverse at an angle that deviates from the incident path of light. If the distance between the slit and the screen is small, the deviated light rays do not achieve discernible displacement as compared to the original incident rays. This is the reason why when we bring the slit very close to the screen, the light falls on the screen in the shape of the slits.
Thirdly, we also observe from the above equation that the smaller the slit, the higher the effects of diffraction.
<a href="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h48m25s998.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-714" src="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h48m25s998-300x169.png" alt="vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h48m25s998" width="300" height="169" /></a>Finally, it is also interesting to observe what happens in the experiment with the rectangular light source. Although diffraction occurs on the whole, with a rectangular image of the light source being formed through each of the holes, the individual LEDs from the light source take the shape of the particular hole. Our rectangular light source is made up of a panel of many individual LEDs, whose size is in fact smaller than the holes. This is why the individual LEDs don't seem to go through diffraction.
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![](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http://www.dartofscience.com/video/diy-diffraction/&title=DIY DIFFRACTION&summary=<a href="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m14s635.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-712" src="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m14s635-300x169.png" alt="vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m14s635" width="300" height="169" /></a>The phenomenon here is diffraction. It is a property exhibited by all kinds of waves, from sound waves, mechanical waves to electromagnetic waves like light. When a wave travelling through space enters a gap or a slit, it bends around the edges of the slit while passing through it. The more comparable the size of the slit to the wavelength of the wave, the higher this bending will be. In this case, we observe light waves passing through tiny holes made in a piece of cardboard. When light from the round light source passes through the square hole, it bends around the square edges, trying to regain its original shape. This is why the result looks round. On the whole, the phenomenon of diffraction depends on the following factors - the dimensions of the slit (d), the wavelength of the light passing through the slit (λ) and the distance between the slit and the screen (D). The extent of diffraction can be measured by the distance on the screen at which the image of the slit 'spills'. If this distance is 'y', then y amounts to : y = λD/d.
<a href="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m53s005.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-713 alignright" src="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m53s005-300x169.png" alt="vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h47m53s005" width="300" height="169" /></a>
This means that the amount of diffraction is directly proportional to the wavelength of light and the distance between the slit and the screen. Diffraction causes light to bend around the edges of the slit, and traverse at an angle that deviates from the incident path of light. If the distance between the slit and the screen is small, the deviated light rays do not achieve discernible displacement as compared to the original incident rays. This is the reason why when we bring the slit very close to the screen, the light falls on the screen in the shape of the slits.
Thirdly, we also observe from the above equation that the smaller the slit, the higher the effects of diffraction.
<a href="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h48m25s998.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-714" src="http://www.dartofscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h48m25s998-300x169.png" alt="vlcsnap-2016-05-20-13h48m25s998" width="300" height="169" /></a>Finally, it is also interesting to observe what happens in the experiment with the rectangular light source. Although diffraction occurs on the whole, with a rectangular image of the light source being formed through each of the holes, the individual LEDs from the light source take the shape of the particular hole. Our rectangular light source is made up of a panel of many individual LEDs, whose size is in fact smaller than the holes. This is why the individual LEDs don't seem to go through diffraction.
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