WBCS.LIVE practice question

Which physical phenomenon is responsible for the twinkling of stars observed from Earth?

Solve this multiple-choice question and check the correct answer with its explanation below.

Answer options

  1. Atmospheric refraction
  2. Total internal reflection
  3. Dispersion of light
  4. Internal scattering

Correct answer and explanation

Correct answer: Atmospheric refraction

Explanation: āœ… Correct Answer: A) Atmospheric refraction šŸ“š Explanation: As starlight enters the Earth's atmosphere, it undergoes continuous refraction due to varying air densities and temperatures. This causes the apparent position of the star to fluctuate slightly and its brightness to vary rapidly. To an observer on the ground, these rapid changes in light intensity and path result in the effect we call twinkling.