Regions of low pressure or density in a compression wave are called

Regions of low pressure or density in a compression wave are called

• A. Rarefaction
• B. Refraction
• C. Reflection
• D. Attenuation

Answer: (A)

In a compression wave, the medium experiences alternating regions where particles are pushed together and where they pull apart. The parts where the particles are spread apart and pressure drops are low-density, low-pressure regions. These are called rarefactions. This is a natural part of longitudinal waves like sound and ultrasound, where compressions correspond to higher density and pressure, and rarefactions correspond to lower density and pressure. The other terms describe how the wave travels or loses energy (refraction, reflection, attenuation) rather than the internal density variations within the wave.

In a compression wave, the medium experiences alternating regions where particles are pushed together and where they pull apart. The parts where the particles are spread apart and pressure drops are low-density, low-pressure regions. These are called rarefactions. This is a natural part of longitudinal waves like sound and ultrasound, where compressions correspond to higher density and pressure, and rarefactions correspond to lower density and pressure. The other terms describe how the wave travels or loses energy (refraction, reflection, attenuation) rather than the internal density variations within the wave.