Final answer:
The cause of overlapping without penetration at edges is interference, which occurs when waves cancel each other out at certain points. This phenomenon can be observed with various types of waves such as light, sound, and water waves.
Step-by-step explanation:
In physics, the cause of overlapping without penetration at edges can be explained by the phenomenon of interference. Interference occurs when two or more waves overlap and combine to produce a resulting wave. If the waves are out of phase with each other, they can cancel each other out at certain points, resulting in a lack of penetration at those edges.
For example, imagine two water waves approaching each other. If the crest of one wave aligns with the trough of the other wave, they will cancel each other out and create a flat surface where they meet, without any penetration or overlap.
Interference is a common concept in physics and can occur with various types of waves, including light waves, sound waves, and water waves.