What Makes a Shadow Have Depth?

Imagine you're holding a toy dinosaur in front of a lamp. The shadow it makes on the floor is bigger than the dinosaur itself, that's because light spreads out as it travels. When the shadow gets bigger, it looks like the shape has depth, almost like it’s standing up from the ground! This trick happens all the time when there's a light source and something blocks it.

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Examples

  1. A teddy bear in front of a lamp casts a shadow that looks like it's standing on the floor.
  2. When your hands are close to a light, their shadows seem much bigger and puffier.
  3. A small cup near a table lamp makes its shadow look deep and round.

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Categories: Physics · light· shadow· optics· perspective