Which term means the change in speed and possible change in direction of light as it travels from one material to another?

Which term means the change in speed and possible change in direction of light as it travels from one material to another?

• A. Recovery
• B. Refraction
• C. Reflection
• D. Primary crushing

Answer: (B)

Refraction is the change in speed and possible change in direction of light as it travels from one material to another. Light moves at different speeds in different substances, so when it crosses a boundary the speed changes and, if the light hits at an angle, the path bends. That bending is what we call refraction, and the amount of bending follows Snell’s law, which ties the angles to the refractive indices of the two media. A common example is a straw appearing to bend when it’s placed in a glass of water. Recovery and primary crushing are unrelated terms in this context, while reflection is light bouncing off a surface, which changes direction without the same crossing between media.

Refraction is the change in speed and possible change in direction of light as it travels from one material to another. Light moves at different speeds in different substances, so when it crosses a boundary the speed changes and, if the light hits at an angle, the path bends. That bending is what we call refraction, and the amount of bending follows Snell’s law, which ties the angles to the refractive indices of the two media. A common example is a straw appearing to bend when it’s placed in a glass of water. Recovery and primary crushing are unrelated terms in this context, while reflection is light bouncing off a surface, which changes direction without the same crossing between media.