Question

Explain why does a swimming pool appears shallower than it actually is.

Answer 1

A swimming pool appears shallower because light rays from an object underwater bend away from the normal when they pass from water (denser medium) to air (rarer medium). Due to refraction, the object’s image appears at a lesser depth (apparent depth) than the real depth. This effect occurs as the brain traces refracted rays as straight lines, forming a virtual image closer to the surface. Hence, the pool looks shallower than it really is.