Question

Light reflects off many objects. Which characteristic of light behavior best helps explain this effect?

1) Light carries particles called photons.
2) Light moves as waves.
3) Light has an electric field and a magnetic field.
4) Light has waves with different frequencies.

Answer 1

The behavior of light as it reflects off objects can be explained by its wave-like characteristics, which include diffraction and interference.

Step-by-step explanation:

Reflection of light off objects is best explained by understanding that light behaves as a wave. When light encounters a surface, it can bounce off it, much like waves in water reflect off the walls of a pool. This wave-like nature of light is evident through phenomena such as interference and diffraction, which occur when light waves overlap or pass through narrow openings, respectively.

James Clerk Maxwell's research into electromagnetic radiation discovered that light is a form of energy given off when charged particles change their motion. Light's behavior can therefore be understood by the wave model, characterized by wavelength (denoted by λ) and frequency (v), connected by the equation c = λv, where c is the constant speed of light.