Why does a straw look bent in water?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the optical phenomenon of refraction, specifically addressing why a straw appears bent when partially submerged in water. Participants explore the behavior of light as it transitions between different media, such as air and water, and how this affects visual perception.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the concept of refraction and its impact on the perception of the straw's position. Questions arise regarding the angles of light as it travels through different media and how this affects the appearance of the straw. There is also mention of the utility of diagrams and ray tracing to better understand the phenomenon.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with participants providing insights and asking clarifying questions. Some have suggested creating diagrams to visualize the refraction process, while others are questioning the accuracy of their understanding of the light paths involved.

Contextual Notes

Participants are encouraged to consider the relationships between angles of incidence and refraction, as well as the assumptions made about the light paths from the straw to the observer's eye. There is an emphasis on accurately depicting the light behavior for both submerged and above-water portions of the straw.

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Homework Statement


https://www.highlightskids.com/media/kids/highlightskids/images/thumbs/sciQuestions/sq1012_put-a-straw-in-a-glass-of-water_main.jpg

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution



From my understanding, this has to do with refraction. Here's my answer:

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Light usually travels in a straight line to our eyes but if the light goes through a different medium, it changes direction.

So as we look at the straw in the glass, the light from the top part of the straw travels straight to our eyes whereas the part of the straw that's underwater has light that is refracted since it goes from air to water, back to air again, so the light travels to the eye at a slightly different angle therefore making the straw look bent.
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The part that's not quite clicking with me is, so what if the angle to our eyes has changed? Why does that mean the straw now looks bent?

I've been through a few videos but they don't seem to describe why exactly this happens.
 
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ravsterphysics said:
whereas the part of the straw that's underwater has light that is refracted since it goes from air to water, back to air again, so the light travels to the eye at a slightly different angle therefore making the straw look bent.

The light from the part of the straw that's underwater does not start out in air, but in water. So it's just water-glass-air. Light from the straw that's above the water goes air-glass-air.

ravsterphysics said:
The part that's not quite clicking with me is, so what if the angle to our eyes has changed? Why does that mean the straw now looks bent?

It would be very beneficial to draw a diagram and do a simple raytrace from parts of the straw to your eye. Do you know how to do that?
 
Drakkith said:
The light from the part of the straw that's underwater does not start out in air, but in water. So it's just water-glass-air. Light from the straw that's above the water goes air-glass-air.
It would be very beneficial to draw a diagram and do a simple raytrace from parts of the straw to your eye. Do you know how to do that?

Here's a diagram I've drawn based on what I've read so far.
WhatsApp Image 2017-01-12 at 16.38.36.jpeg


So the object is actually at 'object 1' but due to refraction the observer ( and because the brain judges the image location to be where where light rays appear to originate from) deems the object to be at 'object 2'.

Is that correct?
 
ravsterphysics said:
Here's a diagram I've drawn based on what I've read so far.
View attachment 111455

So the object is actually at 'object 1' but due to refraction the observer ( and because the brain judges the image location to be where where light rays appear to originate from) deems the object to be at 'object 2'.

Is that correct?
You do not seem to have taken in what Drakkith wrote. Your diagram shows the light going air-glass-air, but, as seen in the picture, the part of the straw above the water only appears slightly displaced.
Draw a diagram showing what happens for the part of the straw below the water level. Label all the angles to the normal and consider the relationships between them.
 

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