Open navigation menu
Physics
Wave interference and diffraction
Loading resource…
Loading resource…
Signed wave · fixed logarithmic color scaleDrag + to sample
Model notes
- The linear scalar-wave model in a homogeneous medium uses the same superposition rules for three visual representations. Water suggests surface displacement, sound suggests pressure variation and light suggests one field component; this is not a full fluid, acoustic or electromagnetic simulation.
- Frequency, amplitude, distance and intensity use relative units. Wave speed is fixed; readings are not calibrated in hertz, metres, decibels or physical optical wavelengths. Light-wave colors do not represent a visible spectrum.
- Color and brightness use fixed display scales to reveal oscillations and weak fringes; they do not measure amplitude. Water shading and sound-particle motion are illustrations derived from the model field. Particles oscillate around equilibrium; fluid or molecular trajectories are not tracked. Probe readings and charts use raw data; u² is the instantaneous squared disturbance, not time-averaged intensity.
- Waves and Interference use point sources; Slits uses a coherent source line to create plane wavefronts approaching the barrier. Propagation uses a finite grid, approximate absorbing edges and an ideal thin barrier; wave shapes include discretization error, and small residual edge reflections may occur.
- In both the double slit and three-slit grating, touching or overlapping openings merge into one connected aperture. Its pattern is that of the merged aperture, rather than interference from separate slits.
- Diffraction uses a far-field approximation with uniform monochromatic illumination and normalized intensity. Single, double and three-slit grating openings are 96 cells high on the 128 × 128 aperture grid; circular diameter and rectangular width are twice the size parameter. Rectangular height is controlled separately.