What happens to low frequency waves when they pass through a small opening?

When low frequency waves pass through a small opening, they tend to bend or diffract more significantly compared to high frequency waves. This phenomenon occurs because low frequency waves have longer wavelengths, which allows them to spread out and navigate around obstacles more effectively when they encounter an opening.

As the waves pass through the small opening, the change in direction caused by diffraction results in a wider spread of the wavefront on the other side. This effect is described by Huygens' principle, which states that every point on a wavefront can be considered a source of secondary wavelets. The interaction of these secondary wavelets leads to the bending observed with low frequency waves.

In contrast, higher frequency waves, which have shorter wavelengths, are less prone to this bending and tend to travel straight through openings without considerable alteration. The distinction in behavior based on frequency helps clarify why low frequency waves exhibit greater diffraction in such scenarios.