Question

erena draws a diagram to compare what happens when rays hit a boundary and are either reflected or refracted.

A venn diagram with two intersecting circles. The one on the left is labeled reflection and the one on the right is labeled refraction. There is an X in the one on the left, a Z in the circle on the right and a Y in the intersecting section.

Which labels belong in the areas marked X, Y, and Z?

X: ray bounces off a boundary and maintains constant speed
Y: ray changes direction
Z: ray passes through a boundary and changes speed
X: ray bounces off a boundary and changes speed
Y: ray changes direction
Z: ray passes through a boundary and maintains constant speed
X: ray bounces off a boundary and changes direction
Y: ray maintains constant speed
Z: ray passes through a boundary and does not change direction
X: ray bounces off a boundary and does not change direction
Y: ray maintains constant speed
Z: ray passes through a boundary and changes direction

Answer 1

Choose the first set:

- X (reflection only): ray bounces off a boundary and maintains constant speed.
- Y (overlap): ray changes direction.
- Z (refraction only): ray passes through a boundary and changes speed.

Reason: reflection obeys the law of reflection (bounces, same medium → same speed), refraction involves transmission into a different medium (Snell's law → speed changes), and both processes generally change the ray's direction.