Bending light and big fish ?

[bluecape]

Hi All

Some assistance would be greatly appreciated. I read somewhere an article about the refraction of light thru a dive mask, and how and why it makes fish look bigger and closer or further away than they really are ?

It was a very simple explanation, but cannot find it again.

I am now looking for this info to explain it to someone else?

If anyone can help with the simple physics I would be grateful !!

Thanks

Jeff

 

[fuzz]

For those of you who don't wish to read through all of that, basically objects underwater will appear about 25% closer than they really are.

As a result, an object underwater is magnified by about one third, so a fish that appears to be three inches long is actually only two inches long.

This is a really easy to read site that explains much of what we see underwater.

 

[fuzz]

or if you really want to get a bit more in depth....

http://www.abonet.com.br/abo/665/abo66508.htm

 

[bluecape]

Thanks Fuzz !! The 'easy to understand' version is perfect !!
Was a bit scrambled by the scientific facts !!

Muchos gracious !

 

[Oldsarge]

My thanx as well, Fuzz. I wonder if it is possible for those of us who wear corrective lenses to have the face mask ground to reduce this effect . . . My opthamologist dives; I'll ask him next time I see him. Don't anyone holdjerbreath now, it won't be 'til June and by then enough senior moments may have passed that I won't remember to ask.