When a wave reaches a surface, the wave does not stop moving. Instead, the waves will behave differently depending on the medium that it hits. There are different kinds of behaviors that sound waves will have when traveling through mediums: Reflection and Refraction.
Reflection: the return of sound waves bouncing off a surface. When a wave is reflected, it returns with an angle equal to the one with which it hits.
Refraction: Occurrence that is caused by sound waves entering new mediums at an angle. When sound travels through different mediums, or enters a different material, it is bent from its original path, unlike sound waves that undergo reflection.
Reflection:
http://www.ndt-ed.org/TeachingResources/NDT_Tips/Reflectors.htm
Refraction:
http://burro.astr.cwru.edu/Academics/Astr306/Atmos/refraction.jpg
Reflection: the return of sound waves bouncing off a surface. When a wave is reflected, it returns with an angle equal to the one with which it hits.
Refraction: Occurrence that is caused by sound waves entering new mediums at an angle. When sound travels through different mediums, or enters a different material, it is bent from its original path, unlike sound waves that undergo reflection.
Reflection:
http://www.ndt-ed.org/TeachingResources/NDT_Tips/Reflectors.htm
Refraction:
http://burro.astr.cwru.edu/Academics/Astr306/Atmos/refraction.jpg
