Which term describes the bending of light as it enters a different medium?

Which term describes the bending of light as it enters a different medium?

• A. Refraction
• B. Reflection
• C. Diffraction
• D. Transmission

Answer: (A)

Refraction is the bending of light as it enters a different medium. When light crosses from one substance to another with a different optical density, its speed changes, and the path shifts at the boundary, causing the light to bend. A common example is a straw appearing to bend when placed in a glass of water, which shows the light changing direction as it moves from air into water. This bending is due to the change in speed, and it can be predicted by how much the light slows down or speeds up in the new medium. By comparison, reflection is light bouncing off a surface; diffraction is light bending around edges or through small openings due to interference; and transmission simply means light moving through a material, which may involve refraction if the path changes.

Refraction is the bending of light as it enters a different medium. When light crosses from one substance to another with a different optical density, its speed changes, and the path shifts at the boundary, causing the light to bend. A common example is a straw appearing to bend when placed in a glass of water, which shows the light changing direction as it moves from air into water. This bending is due to the change in speed, and it can be predicted by how much the light slows down or speeds up in the new medium. By comparison, reflection is light bouncing off a surface; diffraction is light bending around edges or through small openings due to interference; and transmission simply means light moving through a material, which may involve refraction if the path changes.