Explain why, if we look at objects through the hot air over a fire, the objects appear to be moving (or shaking) slightly.

If we look at objects through the hot air over a fire, the objects appear to be moving or shaking slightly due to the refraction of light.

When the air just above the fire gets heated up, it becomes optically rarer but the colder air further up is optically denser. Therefore, when we look at objects by the light coming from them through hot and cold air layers having different optical densities, then refraction or bending of light takes place randomly due to which the objects appear to be moving slightly.

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Updated on: 10-Oct-2022

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