What phenomenon can occur due to the reflection of sound waves?

The phenomenon that occurs due to the reflection of sound waves is reverberation or an echo. When sound waves encounter a surface, such as a wall, building, or any other barrier, some of the sound energy is reflected back into the environment. This reflection can create echoes, which are distinct repetitions of sound that travel back to the listener after bouncing off the surface. Reverberation, on the other hand, results from multiple reflections of sound waves within an enclosed space, leading to a prolonged sound effect as the sound continues to bounce off various surfaces before diminishing. Both phenomena illustrate how reflecting surfaces can influence the acoustical experience in an environment.

Refraction, diffraction, and absorption, while related to sound, do not primarily involve the reflection of sound waves. Refraction pertains to the bending of sound waves as they travel through different mediums, diffraction refers to the spreading out of sound waves when they pass through an opening or around obstacles, and absorption deals with the loss of sound energy as it is taken in by surfaces or materials rather than reflected. This key distinction highlights why reverberation or an echo is the correct choice regarding the reflection of sound waves.