A goldfish bowl is spherical, 8 cm in radius. A goldfish is swimming 3.0 cm from the wall of the bowl. Where does the fish appear to be to an observer outside? The index of refraction of water is 1.33. Neglect the effect of the glass wall of the bowl.
A)3.3 cm inside the bowl
B)3.9 cm inside the bowl
C)3.6 cm inside the bowl
D)3.0 cm inside the bowl
E)1.7 cm inside the bowl

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using the formula for apparent depth: apparent depth = real depth / refractive index. The real depth is 8 cm - 3 cm = 5 cm. So, apparent depth = 5 cm / 1.33 ≈ 3.76 cm. The fish appears to be 8 cm - 3.76 cm = 4.24 cm from the center, which is 3.6 cm inside the bowl.

A Goldfish Bowl Is Spherical, 8 Cm in Radius