Which term describes changing direction as a result of entering a different medium?

Which term describes changing direction as a result of entering a different medium?

• A. Reflect
• B. Refract
• C. Scatter
• D. Solar

Answer: (B)

Refraction is the change in direction of light when it enters a medium where its speed is different. When light crosses a boundary, its speed shifts, so its path bends rather than continuing straight. The bending follows Snell’s law, relating the incident and refracted angles to the different speeds of light in the two media. A familiar example is a straw appearing bent in a glass of water. The other terms don’t describe this directional change: reflect means light bounces off a surface, scatter refers to light spreading in many directions after hitting particles, and solar is unrelated to this process.

Refraction is the change in direction of light when it enters a medium where its speed is different. When light crosses a boundary, its speed shifts, so its path bends rather than continuing straight. The bending follows Snell’s law, relating the incident and refracted angles to the different speeds of light in the two media. A familiar example is a straw appearing bent in a glass of water. The other terms don’t describe this directional change: reflect means light bounces off a surface, scatter refers to light spreading in many directions after hitting particles, and solar is unrelated to this process.