Seeing Through Walls

Most recent answer: 10/22/2007

Q:
how does light travelling in straight lines prevent us from seeing around corners?
- Anonymous (age 12)
Parkville, Toronto
A:
Light does travel in straight lines. That means that the light from around the corner goes straight past where it would need to turn to get to us. On the other hand, light bouncing off the wall enters our eyes and lets us see the wall. That’s a very good thing. If light could turn corners easily, we would get very confused because we would see both the wall and what’s on the other side of the wall at the same time.


Adam

(published on 10/22/2007)