The Single-Slit Diffraction model simulates the diffraction pattern of light as it travels through a slit to a screen. The diffraction pattern is due to the difference in path length of the light from different parts of the slit as the light from the slit travels to the screen. The intensity of the light that reaches the screen is related to the wavelength of light, the slit width, and the angle away from the center of the screen.  In the simulation one can change the wavelength, the slit separation, and whether the pattern is shown on a screen or on a photographic plate.

Single-Slit Diffraction model was created using the Easy Java Simulations (EJS) modeling tool.  It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive.  Double clicking the ejs_diffraction.jar file will run the program if Java is installed.

Please note that this resource requires at least version 1.5 of Java (JRE).