why air becomes “wobbly” (and, thus, kind of visible) when it’s hot

Question

why air becomes “wobbly” (and, thus, kind of visible) when it’s hot

In: 581

Answer 1

Because there are changes in air temperature over small distances, which changes the density, this causes the air to rise and become turbulent. The different areas of density moving around each other changes the optical coefficient, which changes how light passes through the air, creating a mirage.