What Makes a Shadow Stay in One Place?

Imagine you're standing in the sun, and your shadow is right there with you. A shadow happens when light can't reach something, like when it's blocked by you. The reason your shadow stays put is because the sun is so far away that it looks like it’s shining from one spot. It's like having a giant flashlight in the sky, and your shadow just follows where you go.

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Examples

Your shadow follows you when you walk outside because the sun looks like it's shining from one place.
A tree casts a long, stable shadow on the ground at noon because the sunlight is coming straight down.
If you were standing in front of a lamp instead of the sun, your shadow would flicker and change shape.

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Categories: Physics · shadows,light,optics