What phenomenon involves the bending of light?

Refraction is the phenomenon that occurs when light passes from one medium to another and changes its speed, resulting in the bending of the light's path. This bending is due to the differences in the optical density of the two media. For instance, when light travels from air into water, it slows down and bends toward the normal line (an imaginary line perpendicular to the surface at the point of entry), causing the light rays to take a different direction.

In contrast, absorption involves light being absorbed by a material, which does not result in bending. Conduction relates to the transfer of heat through a material without involving movement of the material itself, which is unrelated to the behavior of light. Reflection occurs when light bounces off a surface and changes direction, but it does not involve any change in speed or bending of the light path as refraction does. This fundamental understanding of light behavior is critical in various applications, such as optics and underwater visibility.