Desert Mirage

Classical Mechanics Level 1

A mirage is a frequent optical occurrence for desert travelers, which appears as a distant body of water. Which of the following best explains this phenomenon?

Note: The mirage featured in this picture is known as an inferior mirage.

Light bends because there are layers of air with different temperatures These are real but shallow bodies of water that evaporate by the time you reach them Wind kicks sand up into the air, which scatters light, creating the illusion of water Mirages are reflections of light from the sky off the sand