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The interaction of a wave at a "barrier" varies depending on the wave and the barrier. The wave could be reflected, it could be absorbed, or it could be refracted and passed through. Or it could be a combination of those things, meaning some could be reflected, some absorbed, and some refracted and transmitted through the material. If a wave on water encounters a concrete wall, it is reflected, but there are other waves. You can see a bit of reflection when you look into water, and you can see things under the water at the same time. That's a single example of the phenomenon, and that uses light, which is electromagnetic energy. Mechanical energy, like sound, might behave similarly. If we use sound to probe subterranean geologic structure, we see the differential way the sound waves are treated by the material down there when we look at returned signals, and that's a second example of waves interacting with "barriers" they encounter. If we consider the aluminum coating on, say, the 200 inch mirror of the Hale Telescope at the Palomar Observatory, almost all of the optical wavelengths of impinging light (about 97%) are reflected off that mirror. We could expect any electromagnetic energy of microwave or lower frequency to be reflected off this surface extremely well, too, as it is electrically conductive.

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Waves rebounding from a barrier is an example of reflection (the physics term) or an echo. If you'd care to investigate further, there is a link below.

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transverse waves

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By reflecting off the light! :D

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Diffraction

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reflection

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Reflection

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Q: What happens when a wave hits a barrier?
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Related questions

What two wave interactions happen when a wave hits a barrier?

i


The return of a wave to the medium for which it came when it hits a barrier?

It is reflection.


What happens when a wave passes a barrier or moves through a hole in a barrier?

it bends and spreads out


The bouncing back or change in direction of a wave after it hits a barrier?

"reflection"


What is incident wavefront?

The incident wavefront is the crest of the wave before it hits a barrier which causes it to reflect


Two wave interactions that can occur when a wave encounters a barrier?

First of all, the scientific term for a barrier is called a "fixed end". And when a wave hits a fixed end, it reflects on the opposite side. Also, the amplitude decreases due to friction.


Diffraction occurs when waves around the edge of a barrier?

Diffraction is phenomena that occurs when a wave encounters an obstacle. This happens when a wave reaches an obstacle that is comparable in size to it.


What happens when a wave hits a barrier it cannot pass through?

A mechanical wave travels through a medium because a medium is necessary for the propagation of that wave. With a mechanical wave, like sound, mechanical energy is put intothe wave, and the medium carries the energy of the wave. This is in contrast to an electromagnetic wave (like light) which can move through a total vacuum.


What happens to an electromagnetic wave when if hits a transparent obstacle?

The wave will pass through the transperent object


What is a wave that strikes a barrier called?

its called a reflected wave because just like a reflection the wave bounces back of the barrier


What happens to the angle of the wave if it hits the perspex at 90 degrees?

It does not change.


A wave barrier is produced when a wave source moves?

faster than the wave it produces