The spelling of the word "diffract" might seem complicated, but with the IPA phonetic transcription, it becomes clear that it is pronounced as /dɪˈfrækt/. The first syllable is pronounced with a short "i" sound, followed by the stressed second syllable with an "a" sound like in "cat". The final syllable is pronounced with a hard "t" sound. The word "diffract" is commonly used in physics and refers to the bending of waves, such as light or sound, as they pass through an obstacle.
Diffract refers to the phenomenon of the bending or spreading of waves, such as light, sound, or radio waves, as they encounter an obstacle or pass through a narrow slit. It is a fundamental property of waves whereby they undergo diffraction, resulting in a deviation from their original path or an alteration in their propagation direction.
When a wave encounters an obstacle or passes through a narrow opening, it interacts with the edges or surfaces of the obstacle, causing it to spread out or bend in various directions. This spreading or bending is known as diffraction. The degree of diffraction depends on the size of the wave compared to the size of the opening or the obstacle. The smaller the opening or obstacle, in relation to the wavelength, the greater the diffraction effects observed.
Diffracting waves exhibit unique patterns known as diffraction patterns, which can be observed as bands of light or dark areas. These patterns arise due to the constructive and destructive interference of the diffracted waves. Diffraction is a crucial phenomenon in various scientific fields, including physics, optics, acoustics, and radio waves communication.
In summary, diffract describes the bending or spreading of waves as they encounter an obstacle or pass through a narrow opening, resulting in deviations from their original path and the creation of diffraction patterns.
To break or separate into parts, as light.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "diffract" originates from the Latin word "diffractus", which is the past participle of the verb "diffringere". "Diffringere" is a compound word consisting of "di-" meaning "apart" or "asunder", and "frangere" meaning "to break". Therefore, "diffract" can be understood to mean "to break apart" or "to separate". In the context of physics, the term "diffraction" refers to the bending or spreading of waves as they encounter an obstacle or pass through a narrow opening, reflecting the notion of separation or spreading apart.