I have noticed that sometimes on a hot day, while travelling, I will see a water puddle on the road a little far away but when the car reaches there, there is no puddle or water.
I tried searching about this but couldn’t really understand why light changes its direction and we perceive it as a virtual image which looks like water.
I would really like to understand why this really happens.
Thanks!
In: 2
It’s important to remember that what we see is not actually reality. What we see when we see is actually light reflecting off of reality and traveling to our eyes. Our eyes takes those light particles and creates an image that represents reality.
I know that’s a bit of a mind bend. But it’s the basis for A LOT of optical illusions.
When you look at a puddle what you are actually seeing is the reflection of light off the surface of the water. We see that reflection and think, that’s a puddle.
On a hot day at a long distance the change in air temperature can change how light reflects through the air. The result of this is that we think what we are seeing is a puddle, when it’s not. It’s just an optical illusion and there’s LOTS once you start to go looking.
Here’s my favorite, it’s called Fata Morgana. It’s underlying cause is exactly the same as the fandom puddle you are talking about. It’s hot and cold air bending the light and our eyes assuming the light has traveled in a straight line. And the end result is a very large ship that looks like it’s flying rather than floating.
Here’s a famous picture of the effect.
https://images.ctfassets.net/pjshm78m9jt4/7KAl6INoOW54Ph3kR56Vsn/543fd74ed20c440af84a2198933ba3fd/JS273293486.jpg?fm=avif&fit=fill&w=830&h=623&q=80
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