If i can see him, can he see me?

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In summary, in a dark field, a man with a flashlight may be able to see you depending on the intensity of the light and the distance from the source. The human eye may not be able to detect low levels of light, making it difficult to distinguish you from your surroundings. However, if you are in an open field and not too far away, there is a good chance the man will be able to see you. In more complex environments, such as in the brush, it may be more difficult for the man to see you.
  • #1
1MileCrash
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Imagine you are in a dark field. A man with a flashlight is looking for you. you sse the light from his flashlight.

doesn't this mean he should be able to see you? after all, photons are reflecting off of you if his light reaches your eyes.

Or is it simply that his eyes have adjusted to the brightneas of the objects he is directly shining his light on?

sorry for any typos, on my phone and the text doesn't show, om typing blindly here.
 
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  • #2
I think there is no reason he shouldn't be able to see you.
Yes , you won't be able to see him as the photons reflecting from his body aren't sufficient enough to make an image in ur eye.
 
  • #3
He might see you, but may not recognize you because you are not giving off as much light. To say that you see his flashlight or light from his flashlight does not mean that you see all of the light from his flashlight. To say that he sees you does not mean that he sees all of the light reflecting from you. Yes he should see some of the light reflecting from you, but it may not be enough to distinguish you from the rest of the environment.
 
  • #4
Fun Value said:
He might see you, but may not recognize you because you are not giving off as much light. To say that you see his flashlight or light from his flashlight does not mean that you see all of the light from his flashlight. To say that he sees you does not mean that he sees all of the light reflecting from you. Yes he should see some of the light reflecting from you, but it may not be enough to distinguish you from the rest of the environment.
That depends on the intensity of flashlight and distance from the source.
 
  • #5
1MileCrash said:
Imagine you are in a dark field. A man with a flashlight is looking for you. you sse the light from his flashlight.

doesn't this mean he should be able to see you? after all, photons are reflecting off of you if his light reaches your eyes.

Or is it simply that his eyes have adjusted to the brightneas of the objects he is directly shining his light on?

sorry for any typos, on my phone and the text doesn't show, om typing blindly here.

There's a bit of mixing concepts here. It is true that, unless you are a perfect black body absorber, which you are not, you WILL reflect many of the photons that strike you. However the human eye is not able to detect light of sufficiently low amount. If you are 10 feet from the man then there is a good chance that he will be able to see you as long as he has a decent flashlight. But if I'm about 150 yards away, I can see his flashlight, but he might not be able to see me since much less light hits me and reflects back.

Then we get into if the eye and brain can actually distinguish you from your surroundings. There are way too many variables to really go in depth, but on the few occasions I've had to go look for something in the woods in the dark, I can tell you that it is NOT easy! If you are simply standing in an open field then I would say that as long as the man isn't too far away, he should be able to see you. If you were in the brush behind the plants, it would be much more difficult.
 

FAQ: If i can see him, can he see me?

How does vision work and why can we see others?

Vision is a complex process that involves light entering the eye and being focused onto the retina. The retina contains specialized cells called photoreceptors which convert light into electrical signals that are sent to the brain. The brain then interprets these signals to create the images we see. We are able to see others because light reflects off of their bodies and enters our eyes, allowing our brain to process their image.

Can someone see me if I can see them?

In most cases, yes. As long as both individuals have functioning eyes and are within each other's field of vision, they should be able to see each other. However, certain factors such as distance, obstructions, and visual impairments can affect one's ability to see another person.

Is it possible for someone to see us without us seeing them?

Yes, this is possible. For example, if someone is hiding behind an object or using a device such as a camera or binoculars, they may be able to see us without us being able to see them. Additionally, some animals have better eyesight than humans and may be able to see us from a distance.

What are some factors that can affect our ability to see someone?

Some factors that can affect our ability to see someone include distance, lighting conditions, and obstructions. For example, someone may be too far away for us to see them clearly or there may be low light conditions that make it difficult to see. Obstructions such as walls or trees can also block our view of someone.

Can someone see me through a computer or phone screen?

No, someone cannot physically see you through a computer or phone screen. However, they can see your image or video if you are using a webcam or video call. This is because the camera on the device captures your image and transmits it to the other person's device.

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