Question

Mirage is a phenomena due to:
(A). Refraction of light
(B). Reflection of light
(C). Total internal reflection of light
(D). Diffraction of light

Answer 1

Hint – In this question use the concept that when the land is very hot and the air is cool thus both are at different temperature then eventually this high temperature of the land heats up the air present just above the ground, now when light waves travels in first goes through cool air and then eventually passes onto the air which is heated due to the ground surface. This results in refraction of light and bending up of light in U-shape at one time this refracted light tends to form at a certain point. This will approach the problem.

Complete step-by-step solution-

We all know that the mirage is a phenomenon due to the total internal reflection of light.
This happens when light travels from the denser medium to the rarer medium.
The angle of incidence must be greater than the critical angle of the surface on which light strikes.
For example: consider a glass of thickness t as shown in the figure when the light is strike which is travel in the air on the glass the some part of the light is reflected and some part is refracted as shown in the figure, now when this refracted ray strikes the bottom of the glass in such a way when the incidence angle is greater than the critical angle of the glass i.e. no further refraction is possible only reflection is happen and this refracted ray strikes the upper part of the glass same phenomenon happen and this process continues as shown in the figure than this phenomenon is known as mirage or total internal reflection.
So mirage is a phenomenon of total internal reflection of light.
So this is the required answer.
Hence option (C) is the correct answer.

Note – Mirages are generally seen during sunny days and in deserts it is also termed as an optical illusion as the mirage formed is only due to total internal reflection of light within a certain range of distance and thus it’s not real.