Question

What are the two types of diffraction?

Answer 1

1. Diffraction refers to various phenomena that occur when a wave encounters an obstacle or opening.
2. It is defined as the interference or bending of waves around the corners of an obstacle or through an aperture into the region of geometrical shadow of the obstacle/aperture.

The two types of diffractions are:

1. Fresnel diffraction: If the source of light and the screen are at a finite distance from the obstacle causing the diffraction then it is Fresnel diffraction.
2. In Fresnel When the light from the point source reaches the obstacle, the waves produced are spherical and the pattern of the image of the object is a fringed image.
3. Fraunhofer diffraction: If there is an infinite distance between the source and the screen from the obstacle then it is Fraunhofer diffraction.