NEET2019PhysicsWave OpticsActual
Assertion : Diffraction is common in sound but not common in light waves. Reason : Wavelength of light is more than the wavelength of sound.
Options
- AIf both assertion and reason are true and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.
- BIf both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.
- CIf assertion is true but reason is false.
- DIf both assertion and reason are false.
Correct answer
C. If assertion is true but reason is false.
Step-by-step solution
For diffraction of a wave, size of an obstacle or aperture should be comparable to the size of wavelength of the wave. As wavelength of light is of the order of 10⁻⁶ ~m and obstacle / aperture of this size are rare, therefore, diffraction is not common in light waves. On the contrary, wavelength of sound is of the order of 1 ~m and obstacle / aperture of this size are readily available, therefore, diffraction is common in sound.