The bending of a wave around an obstacle is referred to as?

The bending of a wave around an obstacle is known as diffraction. This phenomenon occurs when a wave encounters an obstacle or a slit that is comparable in size to its wavelength. As a result, the wavefronts spread out, allowing the wave to propagate into the region behind the obstacle. Diffraction is significant because it illustrates how waves can interact with their environment, allowing for various practical applications, such as in sound waves and light waves.

Refraction refers to the change in direction of a wave as it passes from one medium to another due to a change in its speed, which is not applicable in this context. Reflection involves a wave bouncing off a surface back into the original medium, while deflection generally describes the change in direction of an object or a wave without the characteristic spreading effect of diffraction. Thus, diffraction is the term that specifically describes the bending of a wave as it encounters obstacles.