What term means to prevent passage of and cause to change direction?

What term means to prevent passage of and cause to change direction?

• A. Reflect
• B. Transmit
• C. Absorb
• D. Diffuse

Answer: (A)

This question is about how waves interact with boundaries. The term described is reflection — when a wave hits a boundary and bounces back, it changes direction and doesn’t pass through the boundary. For a smooth surface, the angle at which the wave hits the surface (the angle of incidence) equals the angle at which it leaves (the angle of reflection). On rough surfaces, reflection still changes the wave’s direction, but in many directions (diffuse reflection), yet the wave still doesn’t transmit through the boundary. Transmitting would mean the wave passes through the boundary. Absorbing means the wave’s energy is taken in by the material rather than redirected. Diffuse refers to the scattering pattern of reflected light rather than the basic idea of turning back and not passing through, though it’s a form of reflection with scattered directions.

This question is about how waves interact with boundaries. The term described is reflection — when a wave hits a boundary and bounces back, it changes direction and doesn’t pass through the boundary.

For a smooth surface, the angle at which the wave hits the surface (the angle of incidence) equals the angle at which it leaves (the angle of reflection). On rough surfaces, reflection still changes the wave’s direction, but in many directions (diffuse reflection), yet the wave still doesn’t transmit through the boundary.

Transmitting would mean the wave passes through the boundary. Absorbing means the wave’s energy is taken in by the material rather than redirected. Diffuse refers to the scattering pattern of reflected light rather than the basic idea of turning back and not passing through, though it’s a form of reflection with scattered directions.