Sound Waves: Reflected by hard, flat surfaces causing echoes.
Echoes are heard due to delay as sound waves travel twice the distance.
Light Waves: Reflect off smooth surfaces like glass or metal, acting like mirrors.
Transmission
Waves continue traveling in the same direction through an object.
Example: Light through a window.
Absorption and Reflection
Light Waves:
White light contains all colors.
White Objects: Reflect all light, absorbing none.
Black Objects: Absorb all light, reflecting none.
Colored Objects: Absorb all wavelengths except the color seen.
Sound Waves: Absorbed by carpets, curtains, and furniture, reducing noise.
Refraction
Occurs when waves pass across a boundary between two substances with different densities.
Causes change in wave speed and direction.
Examples:
Objects in water appear closer.
Water appears shallower.
A straw in water appears bent.
Diffraction
Waves pass through a gap in a barrier and spread out.
The spreading depends on the gap size relative to the wavelength.
Used in loudspeakers.
Scattering
Waves depart from the expected path and spread in multiple directions.
Example:
Blue sky is due to scattering of shorter blue wavelengths by atmospheric molecules.
Summary
Waves can behave differently based on the materials they encounter, exhibiting behaviors such as reflection, transmission, absorption, refraction, diffraction, and scattering.