Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
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).
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.