A straight pencil partially dipped in water appears bent at the water surface when…
PHYSICS · Single correct · A Level · Physics · Waves · Waves
Problem
A straight pencil partially dipped in water appears bent at the water surface when viewed from air. Which one of the following statements correctly explains this observation?
(a) Light coming from the pencil slows down in water and thus bends towards the normal at the interface
(b) Light coming from the pencil changes its wavelength but not its speed when it enters air, producing the apparent bend
(c) Light coming from the pencil slows down in water and thus bends away from the normal at the interface
(d) Light coming from the pencil travels faster in water and thus bends away from the normal at the interface