What is the term for the bending of waves as they pass around obstacles or through openings?

The term that describes the bending of waves as they pass around obstacles or through openings is diffraction. This phenomenon occurs when a wave encounters an edge or slit, causing it to spread out rather than travel in a straight line. The amount of bending depends on the wavelength of the wave and the size of the obstacle or opening. For instance, waves with longer wavelengths, such as sound waves, can diffract more easily around objects. Similarly, light waves can also exhibit diffraction patterns when passing through narrow slits or around edges, which is a fundamental concept in wave behavior.

The other terms refer to different wave behaviors: reflection pertains to the bouncing back of waves when they hit a surface; refraction describes the change in direction of waves as they pass from one medium to another with a different density; and dispersion involves the separation of waves into their individual components based on differences in wavelength. Each of these processes is distinct from diffraction, which specifically emphasizes the bending of waves around obstacles.