Why do people see Mirages? - Mocomi Kids

Physics for Kids

http://mocomi.com/learn/science/physics/

Why Do We See Mirages?

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Why Do We See Mirages? Sometimes when we are outdoors, we tend to see things that may not be really there. This effect is called a mirage. A mirage is a trick nature plays with our vision. When light passes through layers of hot and cold air, it bends, fooling our eyes into seeing something which is not present.

Cold air

Hot air

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Why Do We See Mirages? The Desert Is A Mirage Maker You may have often read in stories from the desert that people think they can see trees or bodies of water far away, but then as they walk closer to these imaginary trees or water, they vanish. This happens because it is all a mirage.

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Why Do We See Mirages? How Layers of Air above the Sea Create A Mirage When sea water is very cold, the air above it becomes cold too. Above this cold layer of air is a warmer layer. Light reflected off something far away, like an island, will bend as it passes through these cold and warm layers. If this light then enters our eyes, we think we can see the object floating in the sky. It may even seem to be upside down.

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Why Do We See Mirages? Why We See Mirages On Hot Days When the air near the ground is very hot, we sometimes think we can see a pool of water. The pool is really a reflection of the sky caused by bending light.

PROJECT While your traveling on an empty stretch of road look out mirages. Watch the experiment titled "Invisible glass trick" on mocomi.com to see the effects of bending light. For more such fun physics articles and videos, visit:

http://mocomi.com/learn/science/physics/

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