Which of the following describes what can happen to all waves?

Waves exhibit several fundamental behaviors that are universally applicable, making the statement about reflection, refraction, and diffraction accurate for all types of waves.

Reflection occurs when waves bounce off a surface. For example, when light waves encounter a mirror, they reflect back, and sound waves can bounce off walls, which is evident in echo phenomena.

Refraction is the bending of waves as they pass from one medium to another at an angle, which changes their speed. A common instance is that of light transitioning from air into water, causing it to bend and appear distorted.

Diffraction refers to the spreading of waves when they pass through a narrow opening or around obstacles. This behavior is observable in sound waves, which can bend around walls, allowing us to hear sounds even if we cannot see their source.

These three behaviors—reflection, refraction, and diffraction—are characteristics of all wave types, including sound, light, and water waves. This comprehensive nature underscores why the correct response highlights these interactions as foundational to our understanding of wave behavior.