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  • What is a mirage?

  • An invisible cloak.

  • No.

  • Mirage is an illusion in which it appears as if there is water present on the ground.

  • On a hot day, the land heats the layers of air closer to it.

  • However, as we move higher, the layers of air get relatively cooler.

  • Thus, the hot lower layers of air near the ground form rarer media.

  • Cold upper layers form denser media.

  • Now, when light coming from sky travels from denser to rarer media.

  • It bends more and more until it exceeds the critical angle.

  • i.e.the angle beyond which light gets reflected.

  • This phenomenon is called total internal reflection.

  • When this reflected light reaches our eyes, our eyes trace it backward as a straight line.

  • Hence, the reflection of blue sky appears on the ground.

  • Our brain thinks that there is water, thus causing a mirage.

What is a mirage?

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