Answer to Question #30853 in Optics for sanchi

Question

a coin kept in a vessel and not visible when seen from just below the edge of the vessel , can be viewed from the same position when water is poured into the vessel .explain your answer giving reason .

Answer 1

Water has a different refraction index than air (n =1.33) and because of this it causes the light ray to refract, i.e. change direction. Our eye follow this broken light path, but our brain forms an image as if it was situated on the continuation of the straight beam. Due to this, some objects that are normally closed by the vessel edge, can become visible through an optically thicker medium, such as water.

To visualize this, refer to the picture at https://www.wisedude.com/images/coin.jpg