Interference vs. Diffraction

Interferencenoun

The act of interfering with something, or something that interferes.

Interferencenoun

(sports) The illegal obstruction of an opponent in some ball games.

Interferencenoun

(physics) An effect caused by the superposition of two systems of waves, such as a distortion on a broadcast signal due to atmospheric or other effects.

Interferencenoun

In United States patent law, an inter partes proceeding to determine the priority issues of multiple patent applications; a priority contest.

Interferencenoun

(chess) The interruption of the line between an attacked piece and its defender by sacrificially interposing a piece.

Interferencenoun

The act or state of interfering; as, the stoppage of a machine by the interference of some of its parts; a meddlesome interference in the business of others.

Interferencenoun

The mutual influence, under certain conditions, as from streams of light, or pulsations of sound, or, generally, two waves or vibrations of any kind, producing certain characteristic phenomena, as colored fringes, dark bands, or darkness, in the case of light, silence or increased intensity in sounds; neutralization or superposition of waves generally.

Interferencenoun

The act or state of interfering, or of claiming a right to the same invention.

Interferencenoun

a policy of intervening in the affairs of other countries

Interferencenoun

the act of hindering or obstructing or impeding

Interferencenoun

electrical or acoustic activity that can disturb communication

Interferencenoun

(American football) the act of obstructing someone's path with your body;

Interferencenoun

any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome

Interferencenoun

the action of interfering or the process of being interfered with

Interferencenoun

the legal blocking of an opponent to clear a way for the ball carrier.

Interferencenoun

(in ice hockey and other sports) the illegal hindering of an opponent not in possession of the puck or ball.

Interferencenoun

the combination of two or more electromagnetic waveforms to form a resultant wave in which the displacement is either reinforced or cancelled.

Interferencenoun

the fading or disturbance of received radio signals caused by unwanted signals from other sources, such as unshielded electrical equipment, or broadcasts from other stations or channels.

Diffractionnoun

(physics) The bending of a wave around an obstacle.

Diffractionnoun

(quantum mechanics) The breaking up of an electromagnetic wave as it passes a geometric structure (e.g. a slit), followed by reconstruction of the wave by interference.

Diffractionnoun

The deflection and decomposition of light in passing by the edges of opaque bodies or through narrow slits, causing the appearance of parallel bands or fringes of prismatic colors, as by the action of a grating of fine lines or bars.

Diffractionnoun

when light passes sharp edges or goes through narrow slits the rays are deflected and produce fringes of light and dark bands

Diffraction

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