The Emergence Machine

Diffraction

abstract · Physics · Level 8 · E0

E0Spacetime

Each concept here is mapped to its prerequisites — the ideas you'd need first to understand it — all the way down to four foundations: Space, Time, Energy, Pattern. Click any prerequisite to drill down, or scroll for the chain graph.

Trace. Question. Emerge.

Emergence definition

Diffraction occurs when waves bend around obstacles or through openings, as their wavelength interacts with the size of the obstacle or opening, causing a change in their trajectory.

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Wiktionary senses

External reference — all senses of the word “Diffraction” on Wiktionary. This atlas concept maps to only the slice of meaning relevant to the prerequisite graph.

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Source: Wiktionary — “Diffraction”. Content available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Historical origin

Origin word
diffraction
Origin language
English

Prerequisite chain

Possible path of this concept down to the fundamental substrate.

thisfoundationsL8L7L6L5L4L2L1L0DiffractionAroundRelationshipBehaviorBendingOrganismWavelength… intermediate l…ForceFormLifeStructureActionChangeExtentMatterEnergyPatternSpaceTimeE1 concrete → E14 abstract

Neighborhood

Direct prerequisites above, concepts that depend on this one below.

thisprerequisitesDiffractionL8BendingL4WavelengthL4AroundL7E1 concrete → E14 abstract

In other languages

Prerequisites

What you need to understand first.

  • Bending L4 (requires)
    Diffraction: The bending of waves around obstacles or through openings, resulting from the interaction between the wave's wavelength and the size of the obstacle or opening.
  • Wavelength L4 (requires)
    Diffraction occurs because wavelength determines the scale at which waves bend, with longer wavelengths diffracting more noticeably.
  • Around L7 (requires)
    Diffraction: The bending of waves around obstacles or through openings, resulting from the interaction between the wave's wavelength and the size of the obstacle or opening.