Why Does Light Bend Around Your Finger?

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Light appears to bend around a finger due to a phenomenon known as edge refraction, which occurs when light passes near an object with a different refractive index. When holding a phone or tablet close to the eye, the finger obstructs part of the view, causing the light rays to bend around it, creating a visual distortion. This effect is more pronounced with small objects like a finger because of their proximity to the eye and the angle at which light enters the eye. Observing the effect with both eyes open can enhance the perception of bending, as each eye perceives the scene slightly differently. The bending of light in this context is a real optical effect, not merely a trick of the eye.
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Why does light appear to bend around my finger when I have it close to my eye? Try it with your phone/tablet. Keep the object about 2-3 inches away and put your finger to your eye, and watch the letters bend. I am aware of the property of light with gravity and everything, but why is it so noticeable around a 3 inch human finger? Is it a trick of the eye or is it real?
 
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Do you have both eyes open? If so, you're seeing your finger with one eye and your phone with the other eye.
 
42Physics said:
Why does light appear to bend around my finger when I have it close to my eye? Try it with your phone/tablet. Keep the object about 2-3 inches away and put your finger to your eye, and watch the letters bend. I am aware of the property of light with gravity and everything, but why is it so noticeable around a 3 inch human finger? Is it a trick of the eye or is it real?

Edge refraction.

Zz.
 

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