PHYSICS FORM 4

WAVES
5.5 DIFFRACTION OF WAVES
 Photo shows the
embankment built in
Marang, Terengganu.
The wavefront of the
seawater changes
from plane wavefront
in region A to circular
wavefront in region B.

What causes the wavefront

of the seawater in region A
and region B to have
different shapes?
 The shape of the seawater wave changes from
plane wavefront to circular after passing the two
walls with smaller amplitude.
Small boats on the calm water. On the side, a boat is
moving up and down in the middle of the sea. Why?
Diagram below shows two wall which are built near the shore. What is the
function of the walls?
LEARNING
STANDARD 1
5.5.1 Describe diffraction of
waves from the following
aspect:
(i) wavelength, λ
(ii) frequency, f
(iii) speed, v
(iv) amplitude, A
(v) Direction of propagation
of waves
What is diffraction of waves?
Diffraction of waves is a phenomenon in
which waves spread out / bend as they pass
through a gap or round a small obstacle.
AKTIVITI 1 To study the characteristics of the diffracted waves in a ripple tank

1. Switch on the power pack. Use a

barrier to block the incident straight
water waves. Observe the wave pattern
beyond the barrier.
2. Send a straight water waves to pass
through a gap. Observe the pattern of
diffracted waves beyond the gap.
 Terdapat
Halangan yang
Apabila
Apabila
Manakala dua
saiz jenis
kecil
saiz celah
halangan aacorak
menghasilkan
celah
yang lebih
lebih
besar berbeza
kesan
kecil,
besar, dipembelauan
maka
maka
menghasilkandalam
kesan
kesan
kesan
pembelauan yang disebabkan
yang
pembelauan
pembelauan
pembelauan lebih jelas.
lebih
kurang
kuran oleh
jelas.saiz celah.
jelas.
jelas.
 Big gap

Small gap
2. Compare the wavelength of the waves before and after passing the gap

Small gap Bigger gap

λ before equal after

3. What can you say about the direction of the waves after passing
through the gap?
Small gap Bigger gap

Spread out Spread out

4. State the changes occurs to the incident wave after passing the gap.

Frequency Equal

wavelength Equal

Wave speed Equal

Direction of wave Spread out

propagation
Amplitude Decreases

Energy Decreases
 5. Why the amplitude of the diffracted waves decreases?

The diffracted waves is spread out to

wider area. Energy of the waves
reduced. So amplitude will decreased.
LEARNING
STANDARD 2
5.5.2 Determine factors
affecting diffraction
of waves
 Activity 2 To study the factors which influence diffraction of water wave.

1. Describe the Small gap Bigger gap

pattern of the
wave after
passing different
size of gaps.

Circular wave/ Plane and bend at the edge/

Diffraction obvious Diffraction less obvious
3. What is the relationship between the shapes of the diffracted
waves with the size of the gap?

The smaller the gap, the more circular

the diffracted wave
2. Describe the Small barrier Bigger barrier
pattern of the
waves after
passing through
the barriers of
different size.

Small space behind Big space behind barrier

barrier
Diffraction obvious Diffraction less obvious
4. Describe the pattern of the waves with different wavelength after
passing through the gap of same size.

Small λ Bigger λ

Plane and bend at the edge Circular wave

Diffraction less obvious Diffraction obvious
5. What is the relationship between the shapes of the diffracted
waves with the size of the wavelength?

The longer the wavelength, the more circular the

diffracted wave
6. State the 2 factors that make the diffraction more obvious.

Small gap Long wavelength

LEARNING
STANDARD 3
5.5.3 Draw diagrams to
show the pattern of
diffraction of water
waves and the effects
of diffraction of light
waves.
 Effects of diffraction of waves

Fixed wavelength Fixed size of slit

Wide gap Small gap Short wavelength Long wavelength

Diffraction less Diffraction obvious Diffraction less Diffraction obvious

obvious obvious
 AKTIVITI 3 To study the diffraction of sound waves

Audible sound waves have

wavelengths in the range of 1.5
cm to about 15 m. Light waves
have wavelengths in the range of
4 – 7 x 10-7 m. A radio is placed
nearby a corner of a wall. The
radio is turned on.
(a) Compare the wavelengths
between sound waves and
light waves
λ sound > λ light
(b) Can you see the radio? What inference you can make
about the diffraction of light waves?
Cannot see the radio, light difficult to be diffracted.
(c) Can you hear the sound of the radio? What inference you can
make about diffraction of sound waves?
Can hear the sound, sound can be diffracted.

(d) Relate between wavelengths with effect of diffraction in order

to explain why we can hear the sound of a radio placed nearby
a corner of a wall but we cannot see the radio.
Sound waves are more easily diffracted because its
wavelength is longer than the wavelength of light.
 AKTIVITI 3 To study the diffraction of light waves

Direct the laser light ray through the

single slit. Observe the pattern
formed on the screen and draw the
pattern.
Repeat using:
(a) A single narrow slit
(b) A small pin hole
The light wave diffraction’s pattern passing through a single slit

Small slit

Black and bright lines alternately.

Brighter in the middle

Wider slit Small pin hole

The light wave diffraction’s pattern passing through a
single slit of various size.

Slit 0.02 mm Slit 0.04 mm

Slit 0.08 mm Slit 0.16 mm

Single wide slit: very bright light in the middle

Single narrow slit: dark and bright lines alternately.
Brighter in the middle.
4. The experiment is repeated by using a pinhole camera.
What happens to the light as it passes through the pinhole?

Light will be diffracted

LEARNING
STANDARD 4
5.5.4 Explain the
application of
diffraction of waves
in daily life
 Activity 4 To study the applications of diffraction of water, light and sound
waves in daily life
1. Water waves
A pair of barriers is built to protect
housing area near a beach.
(a) Compare the amplitude of the sea
wave before and after passing through
the wall opening.

Amplitude decreased
(b) By relating the size of the wave
with the energy, explain how the
erosion effect of the beach around
the housing area can be reduced
by the barriers.

Build barriers with small opening so that diffraction can occur.

Energy of the waves is spread out to larger area after passing the
gap and will be reduced.
Amplitude of the waves will decreased.
Diffraction of water waves produces calm of water of water regions
suitable for docking of ships and water recreational activities.

Barriers
Calm water
region

Gap
An audio frequency generator connected to a speaker and placed near the corner of a wall.
Three student A, B, and C are standing around the next corner. The generator and the
speakers can produce sound at the same speed but with different frequency.
When a high frequency sound is generated, only
student C can hear the sound clearly. When a low
frequency sound is generated, all the three students
can hear the sound clearly. Explain the situation.

Frequency is inversely proportional to

wavelength
High frequency, short λ. Difficult to diffract.
Only C can hear clearly.
Low frequency, long λ
Sound easily diffracted when long λ. All
three students hear clearly
Owls are able to communicate across long distances in the
forest because they have long wavelengths hoots. Explain.

The sound of the owls will diffract through the space

between trees in the forest. The longer wavelength of
the hoots also easier to be diffracted.
Infrasonic waves produced by elephants
have long wavelength to facilitate long
distance communication between elephants.
Diffraction of light waves can produce holograms
which are used as safety features on bank cards
such as debit cards and credit cards.
Diffraction of light waves can produce
holograms which are used as safety
features on bank cards such as debit cards
and credit cards.
Pembelauan gelombang cahaya
menghasilkan kesan hologram yang
diguna- kan sebagai tanda keselamatan
pada kad bank seperti kad debit dan kad
kredit.
TUTORIAL 5.5
Diffraction
Pembelauan
 Energy decreases because
it is spread out to larger
area after passing through
the gap.
Amplitude decreases / Amplitud berkurang Tenaga telah berkurang
kerana disebarkan ke
Kawasan lebih luas
selepas melalui celah.

Wavelength of light is smaller than sound waves. Light is difficult to

diffract.
Panjang gelombang cahaya lebih pendek dari gelombang bunyi.
Cahaya susah untuk dibelaukan
 The spreading or bending of waves
when the waves propagate through
a slit or side of a barrier.
Penyebaran atau pembengkokan
gelombang apabila gelombang itu
merambat melalui satu celah atau
tepi suatu penghalang.

λ
a>b

5.2a is more circular / 5.2a lebih membulat

 Amplitude decreases / Amplitud berkurang

Energy decreases. It spreads out to larger area after passing through the gap.
Tenaga telah berkurang kerana disebarkan ke kawasan lebih luas selepas
melalui celah.

The longer the wavelength, the smaller the amplitude

Semakin panjang panjang gelombang, semakin rendah amplitud
SPM 2005
 SPM 2005

The shape of the crest acts as convex lens

The crest converge the light rays to form the bright line
The shape of the trough acts as concave lens
The trough diverge the light rays to form the dark line.
Before the gaps, the wave fronts are
straight.
After the gaps, the wave fronts bend or
circular.
The wavelength equal before and after
passing through the gaps.
The smaller the gap, the more circular
the wave pattern.
Diffraction is more obvious when the
gap is smaller
diffraction
build a slanting barrier speed / energy of the wave reduce when the depth
of water is reduced.

the surface of the barrier is to reduce reflection of the wave

made rough / porous / uneven
build the new jetty at the bay water is calm at the bay
Build a barrier with small Diffraction happens at the opening
opening surround the bay so can spread the energy / to reduce
amplitude of the wave
High retaining wall To ensure that there is no spill over
of the waves