Asked by Blaine
A student looks at a straw placed in a glass of water. The straw appears bent at the water’s surface, even though it is straight.
View from above of a glass containing a straw. The straw appears misaligned at the surface where it contacts the water, with one end submerged and the other protruding out of the glass.
Which of the following explains what happened to the light?
Responses
A The light is absorbed.The light is absorbed.
B The light is refracted.The light is refracted.
C The light is reflected.The light is reflected.
D The light is concentrated.
All Answers 1
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
AI
B — The light is refracted.
When light passes between air and water its speed changes, so the rays bend at the surface (Snell’s law). Your eye receives those bent rays and traces them back in straight lines, making the submerged part of the straw appear displaced (bent) at the interface.
When light passes between air and water its speed changes, so the rays bend at the surface (Snell’s law). Your eye receives those bent rays and traces them back in straight lines, making the submerged part of the straw appear displaced (bent) at the interface.
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