What Causes a ‘Mirage’ on the Road?

A mirage happens when hot air bends light. Imagine the road is like a big oven, it gets super hot, and the air near it becomes lighter. Light from the sky bends down, making it look like there’s water on the road. It’s like a trick that the sun plays with your eyes!

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Examples

On a sunny day, the road looks like it’s covered in water.
You see a shimmering patch on the road that disappears as you get closer.
The illusion of water appears only when the sun is high up.

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Categories: Physics · optics,refraction,mirage,heat