What is the phenomenon in which a beam of light spreads out as it passes through a narrow aperture or around the edge of an obstacle?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Diffraction is the physical phenomenon where light waves bend and spread out when encountering obstacles or passing through narrow apertures, highlighting the wave nature of light. Refraction involves the change in wave speed and direction as light travels across differing optical media, while interference describes the superposition of coherent light waves. This phenomenon is commonly observed when light passes through a narrow single slit, producing alternating bright and dark fringe patterns on a screen. Francesco Grimaldi was among the first scientists to document and name optical diffraction.