What term describes the action of a wavefront bouncing off a surface?

What term describes the action of a wavefront bouncing off a surface?

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

Answer: (A)

Reflection is what happens when a wavefront encounters a surface and bounces back into the original medium. The direction change is described by the law of reflection: the angle of incidence relative to the surface normal equals the angle of reflection. This is why you see a sharp mirror image or hear an echo when sound hits a wall. Other terms describe different interactions with boundaries: transmission is when the wave passes into another medium, absorption is when the surface takes in energy, and refraction is when the wave bends as it enters a medium in which it travels at a different speed.

Reflection is what happens when a wavefront encounters a surface and bounces back into the original medium. The direction change is described by the law of reflection: the angle of incidence relative to the surface normal equals the angle of reflection. This is why you see a sharp mirror image or hear an echo when sound hits a wall. Other terms describe different interactions with boundaries: transmission is when the wave passes into another medium, absorption is when the surface takes in energy, and refraction is when the wave bends as it enters a medium in which it travels at a different speed.