Which phenomenon describes waves bending around obstacles or through openings?

Which phenomenon describes waves bending around obstacles or through openings?

• A. Reflection
• B. Wavelength
• C. Diffraction
• D. Frequency

Answer: (C)

Diffraction is the phenomenon that explains why waves bend when they encounter edges or pass through openings. When a wavefront meets an obstacle or a narrow slit, portions of the wave spread into the space behind the obstacle, causing the wave to bend around it. This bending is most noticeable when the obstacle or opening is similar in size to the wavelength, and the waves from different parts of the opening can interfere with each other, creating patterns of reinforcement and cancellation. You can see this with light bending around sharp edges, sound diffracting around a doorway, or water waves wrapping around a breakwater. The other terms don’t describe this bending behavior: reflection is about bouncing off a surface, wavelength is the distance between crests, and frequency is how often the wave repeats per second.

Diffraction is the phenomenon that explains why waves bend when they encounter edges or pass through openings. When a wavefront meets an obstacle or a narrow slit, portions of the wave spread into the space behind the obstacle, causing the wave to bend around it. This bending is most noticeable when the obstacle or opening is similar in size to the wavelength, and the waves from different parts of the opening can interfere with each other, creating patterns of reinforcement and cancellation. You can see this with light bending around sharp edges, sound diffracting around a doorway, or water waves wrapping around a breakwater. The other terms don’t describe this bending behavior: reflection is about bouncing off a surface, wavelength is the distance between crests, and frequency is how often the wave repeats per second.