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 Refraction

Light rays travel in a straight line. But you can bend them by making them pass through something clear, like glass or water.

When the rays pass through another substance, they change direction slightly. Try getting a spoon, and putting it in a glass of water. Bend down and look at the spoon carefully. What does it seem to do?

This bending of light is called refraction. The spoon isn't broken, it is just that light bends when it passes through the water.

This diagram shows you what your eye sees when you are looking at light passing through air and then through water.

When the light rays pass through something that has parallel sides, like this piece of glass, you can see how they bend, and then bend back again when they come out the other side.

 


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