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When the refractive index of the air varies with altitude ... if there is a vertical gradient

of temperature, pressure, and/or humidity ... electromagnetic radiation, such as light or

radio, will be refracted upward or downward as it makes its way through the air.

Utterly fascinatingly, this is the reason that legends of flying horses and magic carpets

were born in places with the steepest gradients of atmospheric refractivity, like the

Arabian desert.

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Q: What are the conditions for refraction to occur in air?
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What has to be different to allow refraction to occur?

The density. Refraction occurs at the boundary between two media of differing densities, such as air and water.


How is the refractive index of glass is to water is related with that of air is to water?

Each substance has an index of refraction. The index of refraction of water is about 1.3330 . The index of refraction of air at standard conditions is about 1.0003 . There is no such thing as the index of refraction of "water to air".


Does refraction occur only if rays are straight up and down?

No refraction can occur either way!


What conditions does rust occur in?

damp conditions with ready access to air


For refraction to occur in a wave the wave must?

For refraction to occur in a wave, the wave must enter a new medium at an angle.


What is the optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions?

A mirage is an optical illusion which is caused by atmospheric conditions. This is often due to the refraction of light from the sky by heated air.


Is there a word for light refraction?

The word is rainbow. Rainbows occur when light is reflected inside droplets of water and then refracted out into the air.


Will dispersion occur if a polychromatic ray of light enters a prism at an angle of incidence of 90 degree from air to denser medium?

Dispersion will occur, in the sense that the phase velocity of the different wavelengths will be different. What you may be asking is whether refraction (a change in the direction of the light) will occur. Refraction will only be visible if the light impacts at an oblique angle, not 90 degrees.


In which of the following would refraction occur?

More details!


Does refraction occur for both sound and light waves?

Refraction occurs for any waves, where there's a change in the medium.


What does light bend when it passes from air into glass?

refraction


What kind of weather conditions often occur when air rises at fronts?

a tropical storm.