PHYS 1260 Exam 4 2026 Exam
Questions and Correct Answers | New
Update
What is diffraction - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔the bending of light as it passes and
edge or aperture, producing a fuzzy appearance
How is diffraction different from reflection and refraction? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔It is any bending of light that is not caused by reflection or refraction
What happens when light passes through a thin slit? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔it
diffracts noticeably
what happens when light. passes through a wide opening - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔it produces sharp, distinct edges
,why do even the sharpest shadows have blurry edges - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔because all light undergoes some diffraction
what are diffraction fringes? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔bright/dark patterns seen in
shadows of monochromatic light due to diffraction
What determines the amount of diffraction - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔The size of the
obstruction and or opening and the size of the wavelength
why do longer wavelengths diffract more? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔they are better
at filling in shadow and bending around obstacles
example of a long wavelength diffrcation - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔fog horns (low
frequency) bend around terrain --> heard far away
Why do AM radio waves travel father than FM? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Am has
longer wavelengths, so it bends around obstacles; FM has shorter
wavelength and diffracts less (poorer connection)
why is visible light sometimes not ideal for microscopes? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔if the wavelength is the same size or larger than the object, diffraction
blurs the image because the light will bend around it
, What happens if the object you want to see through a microscope is
smaller than the wavelength - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔excessive diffraction makes
the object impossible to distinguish
How do we see smaller details than visible light wavelength allow - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔using electron beams (shorter wavelengths) and
electromagnetic fields for magnification instead of glass because the
wavelengths of electrons are much shorter resulting in far less diffraction
what is the principle of superposition? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔when waves
overlap, the resulting amplitude is the sum of their individual amplitudes
What is interference? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔the result of wave superposition,
producing increased or decreased amplitude
what happens when two identical waves are perfectly in phase? - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔constructive interference --> amplitude doubles
what happens when two waves are exactly half a wavelength out of phase?
- 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔complete destructive interference (cancel out)
what happens when waves are partially out of phase - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔partial cancellation
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
3
Questions and Correct Answers | New
Update
What is diffraction - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔the bending of light as it passes and
edge or aperture, producing a fuzzy appearance
How is diffraction different from reflection and refraction? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔It is any bending of light that is not caused by reflection or refraction
What happens when light passes through a thin slit? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔it
diffracts noticeably
what happens when light. passes through a wide opening - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔it produces sharp, distinct edges
,why do even the sharpest shadows have blurry edges - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔because all light undergoes some diffraction
what are diffraction fringes? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔bright/dark patterns seen in
shadows of monochromatic light due to diffraction
What determines the amount of diffraction - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔The size of the
obstruction and or opening and the size of the wavelength
why do longer wavelengths diffract more? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔they are better
at filling in shadow and bending around obstacles
example of a long wavelength diffrcation - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔fog horns (low
frequency) bend around terrain --> heard far away
Why do AM radio waves travel father than FM? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Am has
longer wavelengths, so it bends around obstacles; FM has shorter
wavelength and diffracts less (poorer connection)
why is visible light sometimes not ideal for microscopes? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔if the wavelength is the same size or larger than the object, diffraction
blurs the image because the light will bend around it
, What happens if the object you want to see through a microscope is
smaller than the wavelength - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔excessive diffraction makes
the object impossible to distinguish
How do we see smaller details than visible light wavelength allow - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔using electron beams (shorter wavelengths) and
electromagnetic fields for magnification instead of glass because the
wavelengths of electrons are much shorter resulting in far less diffraction
what is the principle of superposition? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔when waves
overlap, the resulting amplitude is the sum of their individual amplitudes
What is interference? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔the result of wave superposition,
producing increased or decreased amplitude
what happens when two identical waves are perfectly in phase? - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔constructive interference --> amplitude doubles
what happens when two waves are exactly half a wavelength out of phase?
- 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔complete destructive interference (cancel out)
what happens when waves are partially out of phase - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔partial cancellation
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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