What term describes the sound wave that continues into the second medium after crossing a boundary?

• A. Reflected wave
• B. Transmitted wave
• C. Absorbed wave
• D. Scattered wave

Answer: (B)

When a sound wave reaches the boundary between two media, part of the energy can bounce back into the first medium (reflected) and part can pass into the second medium. The portion that continues into the second medium is called the transmitted wave. This wave carries energy onward into the new medium and may have a different speed and wavelength than in the first medium, though the frequency stays the same.

In contrast, the other terms describe different interactions at boundaries: a reflected wave is the portion that returns to the original medium, an absorbed wave is energy taken up by the medium (often turning into heat), and a scattered wave is energy deflected in various directions.