Natural Phenomenon due to Refraction of Light

Natural Phenomenon due to Refraction of Light

Shallow Swimming Pools

1. Figure shows a swimming pool appearing to be shallower than it really is.
   
2. This is due to the light rays from the bottom of the pool being refracted away from the normal as they enter the air.
   
3. When the light rays reach the eye, they appear to come from I which is higher up.
4. So, the pool appears to be shallower.

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Bent Objects in Water

1. Figure shows the pencil appearing to be bent at the air-water boundary.
2. The light rays from the end of the pencil are refracted at the air-water boundary and bend away from the normal.
   
3. The image of the pencil under the water appears to be higher than it really is.
4. Thus, the pencil appears bent at the surface.

A Fish-eye View

1. A fish or a diver can see objects above the water surface, but the objects on the shore would appear to be up in the air at different positions as shown in Figure.
   
2. Due to refraction of light, a fish sees the image of an object at a position that differs from its true position.

The Twinkling Stars

1. Light from the stars travel in straight lines through the vacuum of space.
2. When these light rays enter the Earths atmosphere, they are refracted by layers of atmosphere of different densities.
3. The densities of these layers of atmosphere are constantly changing (due to wind and temperature), thus altering the path of the light rays.
   
4. One moment the light rays are refracted in such a way that it reaches your eyes and the next moment they are not.
5. This produces the perception that the stars are twinkling.
6. If one were to observe the same stars from space, they would not twinkle at all.