A pencil when dipped in water in a glass tumbler appears to be bent at the interface of air and water. Will the pencil appear to be bent to the same extent, if instead of water we use liquids like, kerosene or turpentine? Support your answer with reason.

The phenomenon you’re describing in this question known as refraction. When light travels from one medium to another with a different optical density, its speed changes, causing the light to change direction. This change in direction can make objects appear distorted or bent when viewed through the interface of two media with different refractive indices.

The degree of bending (or apparent bending) depends on the refractive index of the materials involved. The refractive index is a measure of how much light slows down or bends as it passes through a substance compared to its speed in a vacuum.
In the case of a pencil appearing bent at the interface of air and water, water has a higher refractive index than air, causing light to slow down and bend when it enters the water. The bending of light is more pronounced in water, leading to a more noticeable distortion.
When considering other liquids like kerosene or turpentine, you need to look at their refractive indices. If the refractive index of the liquid is similar to that of water, the bending of light will be comparable. However, if the refractive index is significantly different, the degree of bending will vary.

For example, water has a refractive index of about 1.33, while kerosene and turpentine have lower refractive indices (around 1.43 and 1.47, respectively). Therefore, the bending of light will be less pronounced in kerosene or turpentine compared to water. The pencil may still appear bent, but to a lesser extent.
In summary, the extent to which the pencil appears bent at the interface of different liquids depends on the refractive indices of those liquids. If the refractive indices are similar, the bending will be comparable; if they are different, the bending will vary.

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