What term describes a wave passing through a material?

What term describes a wave passing through a material?

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

Answer: (A)

When a wave travels through a material, the portion that continues through and out the other side is called transmission. This term describes the wave keeping its overall forward path, even though some energy might be lost to absorption along the way. Reflection, by contrast, is the wave bouncing back from the surface; absorption is when the material takes in some energy (often warming up); refraction is the bending that happens when the wave enters a material at a different speed. An everyday example is light passing through glass: some light reflects off the surface, some is absorbed, and the rest is transmitted through. That’s why transmission is the correct term for a wave passing through a material.

When a wave travels through a material, the portion that continues through and out the other side is called transmission. This term describes the wave keeping its overall forward path, even though some energy might be lost to absorption along the way. Reflection, by contrast, is the wave bouncing back from the surface; absorption is when the material takes in some energy (often warming up); refraction is the bending that happens when the wave enters a material at a different speed. An everyday example is light passing through glass: some light reflects off the surface, some is absorbed, and the rest is transmitted through. That’s why transmission is the correct term for a wave passing through a material.