Question

The most common type of mirage is an illusion that light from faraway objects seem to be reflected by a pool of water that is not really there. Mirages are generally observed in deserts, when there is a hot layer of air near the ground. The index of refraction of air is lower at higher temperature. What physical phenomena explains how mirages are formed? Give a brief explanation of the phenomena as your LPE.

Answer 1

Mirage is an optical illusion due to the refraction of light as it travels through different layers of air at different temperature.

Step-by-step explanation:

On a clear hot afternoon, the sun heats up the ground, and the ground heats up the air immediately above it. The result is that the air directly above the ground is hotter than the air above it, leaving the air layers with different refractive indies. Since refractive index decreases with increase in temperature, the air immediately above the ground bends the light that travels through it from the sky, directly into our eyes. The image seen is perceived to be reflected from the ground, but in an actual sense is a direct image of the sky, giving one the impression of seeing a pool of water on the ground.