Reflection Coefficient

The reflection coefficient describes how much of a wave, such as a sound or light wave, bounces back when it hits a boundary between two different materials. Imagine shining a flashlight onto a surface; some light is absorbed, some passes through, and some reflects back. The reflection coefficient quantifies this bouncing back. A value close to 1 means most of the wave is reflected, while a value near 0 indicates most passes through. This concept helps us understand how waves behave at interfaces, important in fields like acoustics, optics, and seismic studies.