Which property causes a pencil to appear bent or broken when it is placed in a glass partially filled with water
The property that causes a pencil to appear bent or broken when it is placed in a glass partially filled with water is refraction.
The property that causes a pencil to appear bent or broken when placed in a glass partially filled with water is called refraction. Refraction occurs because light travels at different speeds through different substances. When the light passes from air to water (or any other medium with different optical density), it changes direction, causing the pencil to appear bent or broken. This phenomenon is known as refraction.
The property that causes a pencil to appear bent or broken when it is placed in a glass partially filled with water is called refraction. Refraction is the bending of light as it passes from one medium to another. In this case, light waves from the pencil travel through the air and then enter the water, where they change speed and direction due to the difference in the density of the two mediums.
To understand why this bending occurs, you can think about the speed of light in different materials. Light travels slower in water than in air. When light waves pass from a less dense medium (air) to a more dense medium (water), they slow down and change direction. This change in direction is what causes the pencil to appear bent or broken when viewed through the glass of water.
To see this effect, you can perform a simple experiment. Take a glass and fill it partially with water. Then, place a pencil in the glass, making sure it is at an angle and slightly touching the water surface. Now, look at the pencil from the side of the glass. You will notice that the portion of the pencil immersed in water appears to be bent or broken. This occurs because the light waves coming from different parts of the pencil are refracted differently as they pass through the water, creating the illusion of a bent or broken pencil.