The phenomenon of diffraction can be treated as interference phenomenon if the number of coherent sources is

Options

A. infrared waves
B. Microwaves
C. X-rays
D. All of these

Answer

To solve the question regarding the phenomenon of diffraction and its relation to interference, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Diffraction and Interference**:
- Diffraction refers to the bending of waves around obstacles and the spreading of waves when they pass through small openings.
- Interference occurs when two or more coherent light waves overlap, resulting in a new wave pattern.

2. **Single-Slit Diffraction**:
- When light passes through a single slit, it creates a diffraction pattern. This pattern can be analyzed as if it were produced by multiple coherent sources.

3. **Coherent Sources in Diffraction**:
- A single slit can be thought of as an infinite number of coherent sources. Each point within the slit acts as a source of wavelets that interfere with each other.

4. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the phenomenon of diffraction can be treated as an interference phenomenon when the number of coherent sources is effectively infinite.

### Final Answer:
The phenomenon of diffraction can be treated as an interference phenomenon if the number of coherent sources is **infinite**.

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