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Question
Why do the faces of persons sitting around campfire appear to shimmer?
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Solution
The rays coming from the face of the person, sitting across the campfire, suffer refraction on passing through hot air. Thus, we see the apparent image of the person. Since hot air is in motion, therefore its optical density changes, which in turn shifts the image rapidly. This rapidly shifting image gives a shimmering effect.
RELATED QUESTIONS
How is the angle of emergence related to the angle of incidence when prism is in the position of minimum deviation? Illustrate your answer with help of a labelled diagram using an equilateral prism?
A coin is places at the bottom of a beaker containing water (refractive index = 4/3) to a depth of 12 cm. By what height the coin appears to be raised when seen from vertically above?
After tracing the path of rays of light through a glass slab for three different angles of incidence, a student measured the corresponding values angle of refraction r and angle of emergence e and recorded them in the table given below:
|
S. No. |
∠i |
∠i |
∠e |
|
I |
30° |
20° |
31° |
|
II |
40° |
25° |
40° |
|
III |
50° |
31° |
49° |
The correct observations are:
(A) I and II
(B) II and III
(C) I and III
(D) I, II and III
Select from the following the best set-up for tracing the path of a ray of light through a rectangular glass slab:

(A) I
(B) II
(C) III
(D) IV
Which colour of light travels fastest in any medium except air?
What is meant by the refraction of light?
Why is the colour red used as a sign of danger?
Comment on the statement ‘The refractive index of glass is 3/2.’
How is the refractive index of a medium related to its real depth and apparent depth?
The path of a ray of light coming from air passing through a rectangular glass slab traced by four students are shown as A, B, C and D in the figure. Which one of them is correct?
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| A | B | C | D |




