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How does refraction work?
Quick answer
Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one material into another, like from air into water. Light changes speed when it enters a new medium, and that speed change makes it bend — which is why a straw looks broken in a glass of water.
Step by step
- Light bends when it passes between materials.
- It happens because light changes speed in each medium.
- It's why lenses focus light and straws look bent.
- Different colors bend by different amounts, making rainbows.
People also ask
How does refraction work?
Light changes speed entering a new material, and that speed change bends its path.
Why does a straw look bent in water?
Light from the underwater part refracts as it leaves the water, shifting where the straw appears.
How do lenses use refraction?
Their curved shape refracts light to focus it, as in glasses, cameras, and telescopes.
Part of the guide: Everyday Science: Light, Heat & Matter →