Book 13, Question 64
Why Can a Water Drop on a Leaf Work Like a Tiny Lens?
A small drop of water has a smooth, curved top. That shape bends light just like a tiny magnifying lens. Letters under a drop look bigger, and dew drops can make leaf veins seem larger.
More fun facts
- A round water drop can bend light like a lens.
- A drop on clear plastic can make small print look bigger.
- Water molecules cling together, which helps a drop hold its rounded shape.
- This clinging is called cohesion.
- Lenses bend light to make things look bigger or smaller, closer or farther away.
Sources: Scientific American, U.S. Geological Survey
Questions kids ask
Why is a drop round?
Water molecules pull on each other, which holds the drop in a rounded shape.