Describe how electromagnetic waves can be reflected at surfaces.

Reflection of electromagnetic waves occurs when radiation bounces from a surface, such as visible light reflecting from a mirror or radio waves reflecting from parts of the atmosphere. Students should describe the wave meeting a boundary and changing direction rather than entering the new material. This objective needs surface evidence and a named electromagnetic example, making it different from absorption, where energy is taken in, and refraction, where the wave changes speed and direction inside another medium. Within the subtopic Properties of electromagnetic waves in Electromagnetic waves, the explanation is anchored to electromagnetic wave and uses those terms in the approved AQA GCSE Physics Waves context.