What Makes a Shadow Look ‘Real’?

Shadows feel real because they act like a copy of the thing casting them. When light hits your body, it blocks some of the light, just like when you hide behind a wall and only part of you is seen. Your shadow looks like you but in black, which tricks your brain into thinking it's alive or even watching you.

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Examples

  1. Your shadow moves when you move, just like your body.
  2. A tall tree casts a big shadow on the ground that looks like it's part of the tree.
  3. A cat’s shadow flits across the floor and seems to be playing hide-and-seek.

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Categories: Physics · light· shadows· optics· perception· vision