Interference

Definition

Interference refers to the interaction between two or more waves when they meet. It can result in constructive interference (waves combine and amplify each other) or destructive interference (waves cancel each other out).

Analogy

Imagine two friends playing the same song on their guitars. If they play in sync, the sound becomes louder and more powerful (constructive interference). But if they play slightly out of sync, the sound becomes weaker or even disappears (destructive interference).

Related terms

Diffraction: The bending or spreading of waves around obstacles or through narrow openings.

Standing Waves: A pattern formed by the interference of two waves traveling in opposite directions, resulting in stationary points called nodes and points with maximum displacement called antinodes.

Young's Double-Slit Experiment: An experiment that demonstrates the wave nature of light by observing interference patterns created when light passes through two closely spaced slits.