What is refraction also known as?

Refraction is the phenomenon that occurs when light passes from one medium to another and changes direction due to a change in its speed. This bending of light is essential for understanding how lenses work and is a key concept in optics. The reason it is also known as transmission relates to how light travels through different materials. When light is refracted, it is being transmitted through the medium, but at different angles and speeds compared to its original path in the first medium. This concept is foundational in both physics and various applications such as vision correction and photography.

The other options, while also related to light and waves, describe different processes. Reflection involves light bouncing off a surface. Diffraction refers to the bending and spreading of waves around obstacles, and absorption is the process where a medium takes in light, converting it to other forms of energy rather than transmitting it. Understanding these distinctions helps to clarify the unique nature of refraction as a component of light behaviour.