Question

With respect to atmospheric refraction which of the following point distinguish between cold air and hot air?
a) Cold air is denser than hot air
b) Hot air is lighter than cold air
c) Cold air have higher refractive index than hot air
d) All of these

Answer 1

Explanation:

The standard freshman physics explanation for this phenomenon is that cold air has a higher index of refraction than warm air does. As a result, photons (particles of light) travel through hot air faster than they can through cold air because the hot air is less dense

Answer 2

Hot air is lighter than cool air and hence is less dense. It has refractive index slightly less than that of cool air. Since the physical conditions of the refracting medium (air) are not stationary, the apparent position of the object seems to fluctuate when seen through hot air. This wavering is an effect of atmospheric refraction. Atmosphere is a heterogenous mixture of different particles thus it does not have a constant refractive index. Refraction occurs when the refractive index of a substance changes. Thus atmospheric refraction occurs in a medium of gradually changing refractive index.