Bending Pencil in Water

Demonstrate how light bends when it moves through different materials by observing refraction effects.

What you need

• A clear glass of water
• A pencil or straw
• A white background (like a paper or wall)

How it works

When light passes from air (less dense) into water (more dense), it bends – a phenomenon called refraction. This bending changes the apparent position of the pencil, making it look distorted.