Diffraction: Bending of waves through openings Steps: - Recall diffraction as the spreading or bending of waves around obstacles or through gaps, especially when the gap size is comparable to the wavelength. - Examine each choice: A describes reflection (bouncing), B refraction (bending due to speed change), C wave passage through a gap (spreading), D superposition (interference patterns). - Eliminate A, B, D as they match other wave phenomena, leaving C as the match for diffraction. - Confirm with Huygens' principle: every point on a wavefront acts as a source, causing bending through gaps. Why C is correct: - Diffraction occurs when waves pass through a gap in a barrier, as defined by the spreading of the wave beyond the gap's geometric shadow, per Huygens' principle. Why the others are wrong: - A: This is reflection, where waves bounce off a surface following the law of reflection (angle of incidence equals angle of reflection). - B: This is refraction, the bending of waves due to a change in speed when entering a new medium, governed by Snell's law. - D: …