Chapter 29, Problem 41A

The photo below shows two identical cola bottles, each with the same amount of cola. The right bottle is in air, and the left bottle is encased in solid plastic that has nearly the same index of refraction as glass (the speed of light in the plastic and in glass are nearly the same). Which bottle shows an illusion of the amount of cola? How does the other bottle give a truer view of its contents?

To determine

To Explain: The cola bottle which shows the illusion of the same amount of cola and what makes the bottle to give a truer view of its contents

Explanation of Solution

Introduction: 

Illusion refers to the specific form of visibility distortion. Illusions are produced by the refraction/bending of light as it passes through one object to another object and the speed of light is significantly different. 

Explanation: 

Some illusions are characteristics of the perceiver. This results in brain processing unusual visual information. 

In this case, the bottle in the air shows the best illusion. Because the light ray will bend as it enters solid plastic and into the cola bottle and again it bends in the air when it leaves the solid plastic so, the more distance and the different media, greater is the refraction.

Conclusion: 

The bottle in the air will give the best illusion because of fewer refractions as compared to that of the cola bottle inside the solid plastic.