Which of the following phenomena is not a direct consequence of rectilinear propagation of light?
Answer Details
The phenomenon that is not a direct consequence of rectilinear propagation of light is diffraction of light.
Rectilinear propagation of light means that light travels in a straight line in a uniform medium. Lunar and solar eclipses, images of objects in a pinhole camera, and shadows of opaque objects can all be explained by the principle of rectilinear propagation of light.
However, diffraction of light is a bending of light waves around obstacles or through narrow slits, and it cannot be explained by the principle of rectilinear propagation of light. Diffraction is a result of the wave nature of light and occurs when light waves encounter obstacles that are comparable in size to the wavelength of light.