Double slit interference pattern

A Releasing Your Unlimited Creativity discussion topic

Copyright 2009 by K. Ferlic,   All Rights Reserved

An interference patter is the pattern created when two out of phase waves are superimposed on top of one another.

A double slit interference pattern is where a wave strikes a barrier with two hole which allows for the original wave to pass through the barrier. However, each of the holes in the barrier become like a new source. The two waves from each of the two new sources interact to create an interference pattern. The interference pattern created by the two holes is called a double slit interference pattern. - that is an interference pattern created by a double slit. The diagram indicate this concept. The circles represent the crest of the waves and the space the trough of the wave. Where the crests overlap, the waves are amplified as indicated by the "+" sign in the diagram. The same is true where troughs of the two waves overlap. Where the trough and the crest overall, they tend to cancel each other out as indicated with the "-" sign. If the two interfering waves strike a recording medium such as light on a piece of film, one would observe a series of alternative lines and space where the waves reinforced and cancel each other.

The importance of the double slit interference pattern was the fact that it was used to demonstrate electrons and subsequently atoms possessed a wave nature. In the same way electromagnetic waves have a particle nature called photons, particles with mass have a wave nature.

Related topics
Wave nature of energy

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