What is the Difference Between Diffraction and Scattering?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Diffraction and scattering are related phenomena observed in waves and particles, but they have distinct differences:
- Nature: Diffraction is a property of the propagation of waves, while scattering is a property of wave interactions.
- Occurrence: Diffraction is observed only in waves, whereas scattering is observed in both waves and particles.
- Direction: In diffraction, there is no change in the average propagation direction of the waves, while in scattering, there is a clear change in the propagation direction.
- Regularity: Diffraction often results in well-defined and regularly distributed patterns, such as the diffraction patterns observed in crystals. In contrast, scattering can produce broader and more continuous patterns, as seen in the case of thermal motion in liquids.
- Interaction: Diffraction can be considered as a property of the wave itself, whereas scattering involves an interaction between the wave and an object or anomaly, such as a particle, density anomaly, or surface anomaly.
In summary, diffraction is a property of wave propagation that results in the spreading of waves without a change in their average propagation direction, while scattering is a property of wave interactions that causes waves to change their propagation direction and can involve both waves and particles.
Comparative Table: Diffraction vs Scattering
The main difference between diffraction and scattering lies in their properties and the interactions they involve. Here is a table comparing the two phenomena:
| Feature | Diffraction | Scattering |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Diffraction is a property of propagation of waves, observed only in waves. | Scattering is a property of wave interactions, observed in both waves and particles. |
| Occurrence | Occurs when waves encounter an obstacle or an opening, causing the waves to bend. | Occurs when waves are deviated due to certain anomalies in space, such as particles, density anomalies, or surface anomalies. |
| Evidence | Diffraction can be taken as evidence for the wave nature of light. | Scattering can be considered as an interaction between two particles, important in proving the wave-particle duality of light. |
| Examples | Diffraction gratings, which are used to obtain high-resolution spectra. | Rayleigh scattering, which causes the blue color of the sky, Mie scattering, Brillouin scattering, Raman scattering, and inelastic X-ray scattering. |
In summary, diffraction is a property of waves that causes them to bend when encountering obstacles or openings, while scattering is a process where waves are deviated due to anomalies in space, involving interactions between waves and particles.
- Scattering vs Reflection
- Diffraction vs Refraction
- Diffraction vs Interference
- Dispersion vs Scattering of Light
- Tyndall Effect vs Scattering of Light
- X-ray Crystallography vs X-ray Diffraction
- Diffraction Grating vs Transmission Grating
- X Ray Diffraction vs Electron Diffraction
- Compton Scattering vs Thomson Scattering
- Fraunhofer vs Fresnel Diffraction
- Rayleigh vs Raman Scattering
- Reflection vs Refraction
- Dispersion vs Diffusion
- Total Internal Reflection vs Refraction
- Angle of Incidence vs Angle of Refraction
- Prism Spectra vs Grating Spectra
- Direct Radiation vs Diffuse Radiation
- Dichroism vs Birefringence
- Regular vs Diffuse Reflection