Question

Give any three phenomena that occur due to the refraction of light.

Answer 1

Step1: Twinkling of stars :

1. Refraction is caused when light travels from one medium to the other.
2. Our earth is covered with the atmosphere having different layers with different optical densities.
3. The warmer layer of the atmosphere behaves like an optically rarer medium whereas the cooler layer behaves like an optically denser medium.
4. Since the temperature in the different layers of the atmosphere is not stable, the density changes, and the observer will receive the light coming from the star at different angles causing the twinkling effect.
   

Step2: Early Sunrise:

1. During sunrise, the rays from the sun get refracted as they travel through the different layers of the atmosphere with different densities.
2. It enters the eye of the observer at such an angle, that it seems that the sun has already risen but in actuality, it is still below the horizon.
   

Step3: Delayed sunset

1. During sunset, the rays from the sun get refracted as they travel through the different layers of the atmosphere with different densities.
2. It enters the eye of the observer at such an angle, that the sun seems to still be above of the horizon but it had already set.