What does the Inverse Square Law describe regarding energy and distance?

The Inverse Square Law describes how the intensity of energy, such as sound or light, diminishes as the distance from the source increases. Specifically, it states that if you double the distance from the source of the energy, the intensity decreases to one-quarter of its original value. This is due to the energy spreading out over a larger area as the distance increases.

When you double the distance from the source, the surface area of the sphere that the energy is spreading over increases by a factor of four. This is because the area of a sphere is calculated using the formula 4πr², where r is the radius (or distance from the source). Therefore, at twice the distance, the area becomes 4 times greater, resulting in the intensity being one-quarter of what it was at the original distance.

Thus, the correct choice captures the relationship between increased distance and the corresponding increase in area that the energy has to cover, explaining why intensity diminishes in this way.