When light bends around an object, the light is__________.

When light bends around an object, the light is__________.

• A. Reflected
• B. Refracted
• C. Absorbed
• D. Scattered

Answer: (B)

Light bends when it moves from one medium to another with a different optical density, changing speed and direction. This change at the boundary is refraction, which explains why the light path curves rather than simply bouncing off the surface, being absorbed, or scattering in many directions. A familiar example is a straw appearing bent in a glass of water—the change in medium causes the light to refract. Note that bending around an object is typically described by diffraction, but among the given options, refraction best fits the idea of the light changing direction at a boundary.

Light bends when it moves from one medium to another with a different optical density, changing speed and direction. This change at the boundary is refraction, which explains why the light path curves rather than simply bouncing off the surface, being absorbed, or scattering in many directions. A familiar example is a straw appearing bent in a glass of water—the change in medium causes the light to refract. Note that bending around an object is typically described by diffraction, but among the given options, refraction best fits the idea of the light changing direction at a boundary.