Why do things look bent in water?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Light refracts at boundary
Water pressure distorts them — Wrong. Water pressure doesn't distort light or objects. Bending appearance comes from light refraction—light changes speed/direction crossing water-air boundary.
Light refracts at boundary ✓ — Correct! Light travels slower in water (~225,000 km/s) than air (~299,700 km/s). At boundary, light bends (refracts) according to Snell's Law—angle changes based on speed difference. Brain assumes light traveled straight line from object—object appears displaced/bent. Why straws look broken in glass, pools look shallower than they are. Fishermen compensate when spearing fish! Total internal reflection uses same principle.
Eyes adjust incorrectly — Wrong. Eyes work correctly. Bending is real optical effect—light refracts (bends) when crossing between media with different densities.