Kaplan Nursing Entrance Exam Practice 2025 – Comprehensive Prep

Question: 1 / 2700

The ability of a wave to change direction when entering a new medium is known as what?

Reflection

Refraction

The ability of a wave to change direction when entering a new medium is referred to as refraction. This phenomenon occurs because waves travel at different speeds in different materials. When a wave crosses the boundary from one medium to another—such as from air into water—its speed changes, which causes the wave to bend. The extent of this bending is determined by the angle at which the wave hits the boundary and the properties of the two media involved.

Understanding refraction is crucial in various fields, such as optics, where it explains how lenses function to focus light, or in sound waves, which can bend when moving from air into water. It highlights the interaction between waves and materials, demonstrating fundamental principles of physics as they relate to wave behavior.

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Absorption

Diffraction

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