What is Refraction?

Refraction is when light bends or slows down. Light is a type of energy that is made up of tiny particles called photons. These photons can zip around the universe at very high speeds! The speed of light is the ultimate universe speed limit, up to 180,000 miles per second! Light is one of the main sources of life on Earth! Light has properties or ways that light behaves. They are reflection, refraction, and absorption. Refraction is another property of light. It is when light bends or changes direction. This happens when the light moves through air, and then moves through water. It is the change of the medium or the thing the light is travelling through. Telescopes work by refracting or bending light. Check out our episode to find out more!! You can demonstrate refraction when you put a pencil in a clear glass of water. The pencil appears to be bent or broken because of refraction! Rainbows and reading glasses work with refractions too!