Water Arrow Illusion (4 Steps)

in this instructable, you will see how water reflects and distorts the light passing through it.

the purpose of this instructable is to demonstrate how water refracts water and makes light pass through it reverse. similar to how light behaves when it bounces off a mirror, the light reflecting off the arrows will appear reversed, flipped, or distorted when viewed through the glass of water.

1 transparent glass/cup

1 piece of white paper

1 pencil or pen. (marker also works)

get any tall glass or cup that allows light through.

use a white piece of paper. lined paper will work

draw 2 arrows facing opposite directions but make sure both arrows can be seen through the glass/cup and put it behind the glass/cup. the arrows can be any size as long as they are obscured by the cup. it may also be a good idea to have more arrows of varying shapes and sizes.

fill the glass with water and see how the light reflecting off the arrows gets refracted and reversed. be aware the illusion changes depending on how much water is in the cup, the distance the paper is from the cup, and where you sitting/standing.