Refraction of sound is caused by which of the following?

Refraction of sound occurs due to a difference in wave speeds as sound waves travel through different media or regions with varying temperature and density. When sound moves from one medium to another or through layers of air at different temperatures, the speed of sound changes. This change in speed causes the sound waves to bend, or refract, resulting in a shift in the direction of the wave propagation.

In contrast, variations in sound intensity simply refer to the loudness or softness of sound but do not influence the direction in which sound travels. The cancelling out of sound waves relates to interference effects and doesn’t directly cause refraction. Additionally, while the distance of sound travel describes how far sound waves can propagate, it does not directly affect the bending or refraction of sound waves. Understanding that refraction is specifically linked to changes in wave speed is crucial in comprehending how sound behaves in various environments.