What happens when two or more waves meet?

When two or more waves meet, they interfere with each other. This interference can be constructive, where the amplitudes of the waves add together, leading to a greater overall amplitude, or destructive, where the amplitudes cancel each other out, resulting in a reduced amplitude or complete cancellation. The principle of superposition governs this phenomenon, indicating that the resultant wave at any point is the sum of the individual waves at that point.

Reflection typically occurs when a wave encounters a barrier and bounces back, while refraction involves the bending of waves as they pass from one medium to another due to a change in speed. Absorption refers to the process where wave energy is taken in by a medium and transformed into other forms of energy, rather than interacting with another wave. Therefore, interference is the most accurate description of the interaction that occurs when two or more waves meet.