Understanding Reflection, Attenuation, and Absorption in Radio Frequency

In this lecture, we’ll explore three important characteristics of radiofrequency: reflection, attenuation, and absorption. Each plays a critical role in how wireless signals behave and reach their destinations.

Reflection

Let’s start with Reflection. We touched on this briefly in the last lecture, but here we’ll dive deeper. Reflection occurs when a wave hits a surface that is smooth and larger than the wavelength of the wave itself. A useful analogy is to think about how light reflects off a mirror. When light (which is also part of the electromagnetic spectrum) shines onto a mirror, it bounces back, allowing you to see the light in a new direction. Similarly, in wireless networks, when a radiofrequency wave encounters a large, smooth object, like a wall or a building, it reflects in another direction.

To break down the terminology:

The wave that approaches and hits the object is called the incident wave.
The wave that bounces off in another direction is known as the reflected wave.

Understanding reflection helps us predict how signals might be redirected in an environment, which can be crucial when designing wireless networks in complex spaces.