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Please let me have the answer and reason with thanks A mirage is created by refr

ID: 2261392 • Letter: P

Question

Please let me have the answer and reason with thanks

A mirage is created by refraction of light near the surface of the Earth. On a still day (no wind), absorption of sunlight by the Earth makes the air temperature decrease as one moves upward, away from the surface. The speed of light in air depends on the air temperature, and this variation of the speed of light causes light to refract near the surface. As a result, an observer looking along the Earth's surface (see figure below, A) will see light that comes from the sky (see figure below, B). Using the ray diagram in figure A below, does the existence of a mirage mean that the speed of light increases or decreases as the temperature increases? increase decrease

Explanation / Answer


the speed of the light increases in the hot regions,because speed of the light(v) =c/n where n is called the reffractive index of the material and if temparature increase density decreases, hence n value decreases,so v increases and light rays bends upward,and observer feels that, light is comimg perfectly straight,as a result sky appears on the ground and observer may interpret as water(mirage)