How Do You Spell DIFFRACTED?

Pronunciation: [dɪfɹˈaktɪd] (IPA)

The word "Diffracted" is spelled with two ff's and two t's. The first syllable is pronounced "di-" as in "dye", the "ff" in the second syllable is pronounced as a hard "f" sound, similar to "off", and the final syllables are pronounced as if there were only one "t". The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is, ˈdɪfræktɪd. This word is commonly used in the field of physics and refers to the bending or spreading of waves, such as light or sound, as they pass through an obstacle.

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DIFFRACTED Meaning and Definition

  1. "Diffracted" is an adjective used to describe a phenomenon that occurs when waves, such as light, sound, or water waves, encounter an obstacle or pass through a narrow opening, causing them to change direction and spread out. This process is known as diffraction.

    When waves encounter an obstacle or a slit with a size comparable to their wavelength, they exhibit diffraction. As the waves pass through the narrow opening or are obstructed by the object, they bend and scatter, causing the wavefront to change shape. This bending occurs due to the interference of the different portions of the wave as it interacts with the edges or barriers.

    The resulting effect of diffraction can be observed as the waves disperse, spreading out and creating a pattern of alternating dark and light bands known as fringes. These fringes are particularly visible when light passes through a narrow slit or is scattered off the edges of an object, leading to the phenomenon of interference.

    Diffracted waves can be observed in various contexts, such as when light passes through a narrow aperture in an optical instrument, or when sound waves encounter an object or a gap. Understanding diffraction is crucial in fields like optics, acoustics, and wave mechanics, as it helps explain the behavior of waves when they encounter obstacles or interact with each other.

Common Misspellings for DIFFRACTED

Etymology of DIFFRACTED

The word "diffracted" comes from the Latin term "diffractus", which is the past participle of the verb "diffringere". "Diffringere" is composed of "dis-" (meaning "apart") and "frangere" (meaning "to break"). Therefore, "diffracted" originally referred to something being broken apart or separated. In the context of light, it specifically relates to the phenomenon of light waves being broken apart or spread out when passing through an obstacle or encountering an aperture, leading to the formation of interference patterns.

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