Why does water tank appear shallower when viewed from the top?

Correct option is B

The correct answer is:(B) Due to Refraction

Explanation:
Water appears shallower when viewed from the top due to the refraction of light. When light passes from the air (a less dense medium) into water (a denser medium), it bends or refracts towards the normal. This bending of light causes the water to appear shallower than it actually is. This effect is a result of the change in the speed of light as it moves from one medium to another.

Information Booster:
• Refraction occurs because light slows down when it enters a denser medium (like water), causing the light rays to bend.
• The phenomenon is governed by Snell's Law, which describes the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction when light passes through different media.
• The bending of light towards the normal makes objects under the water appear closer to the surface, hence making the tank seem shallower.
• This effect is why a stick partially submerged in water looks bent at the surface.
• The angle of refraction depends on the relative refractive indices of the two media (air and water).

Additional Information:

• Due to reflection: Reflection occurs when light bounces off a surface, but it does not cause the appearance of shallowness in water.
• Due to Diffraction: Diffraction occurs when light bends around obstacles or through small openings, but it is not the reason water appears shallower.
•  Due to Total Internal Reflection: Total internal reflection occurs when light moves from a denser medium to a less dense medium at a critical angle, but it is not responsible for the appearance of shallow water in this case.