For example, I look towards the roof of a black car on a sunny day. The background has enough contrast to notice that the light looks wavy from the radiated heat coming from the roof.
How does light get bent by the heat?
In: Physics
The hotter air gets, the less dense it is (which is why it rises. high density sinks, low density rises). When the density of the medium light is traveling through changes, it refracts a bit. Like when you go underwater in a swimming pool and look at something above the water, it’s not in the exact place you’re looking. It’s at a slight angle. It’s the same with light traveling through air that has a lot of different temperatures.
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