A fish directly beneath the surface of a lake sees a fly

In summary, the problem involves a fish seeing a fly above the water at an angle of 36 degrees. The fish is 0.9 meters away from the fly and the question asks at what angle the fish must spit a drop of water so that it hits the fly at the top of its path. The back of the book states the answer is 64.8 degrees, but the person solving the problem got an imaginary number. There may be a typo in the problem as the fish should not be able to see an angle as small as 36 degrees above the water.
  • #1
GreenPrint
1,196
0

Homework Statement



A fish directly beneath the surface of a lake sees a fly on a stick above the water. The fish sees the fly at an angle of 36 degrees above the horizontal from it's current position and it's exactly .9 meters from the fish. At what angle must the fish spit a drop of water so that it hits the fly if the fly is to be it at the very top of the hyperbolic path taken by the drop of water spit by the fish?

The back of the book says 64.8 degrees. Is there a typo in the problem or something? I can't remember the exact wording of the question but it was something like this and the numbers are correct that I provided in the problem statement (I wrote down the numbers while listening to the problem being read). When I solved this question I got a imaginary number and not 64.8 degrees. Can anyone confirm that the answer is indeed 64.8 degrees?

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2


GreenPrint said:

Homework Statement



A fish directly beneath the surface of a lake sees a fly on a stick above the water. The fish sees the fly at an angle of 36 degrees above the horizontal from it's current position and it's exactly .9 meters from the fish. At what angle must the fish spit a drop of water so that it hits the fly if the fly is to be it at the very top of the hyperbolic path taken by the drop of water spit by the fish?

The back of the book says 64.8 degrees. Is there a typo in the problem or something? I can't remember the exact wording of the question but it was something like this and the numbers are correct that I provided in the problem statement (I wrote down the numbers while listening to the problem being read). When I solved this question I got a imaginary number and not 64.8 degrees. Can anyone confirm that the answer is indeed 64.8 degrees?

Something's fishy :smile: The critical angle for a ray passing from water to air is about 41.4° from the horizontal (or if you prefer, 48.6° from the vertical). Angles smaller than this will suffer total internal reflection. The fish shouldn't be able to see anything above the water that appears to have an angle as small as 36° to the horizontal. Could be a typo for that angle in the book.
 

Related to A fish directly beneath the surface of a lake sees a fly

1. What is the scientific explanation for a fish seeing a fly directly beneath the surface of a lake?

The scientific explanation for a fish seeing a fly directly beneath the surface of a lake is due to the refraction of light. When light travels from one medium to another, such as from air to water, it bends or changes direction. This bending of light allows the fish to see objects above the water's surface, such as a fly.

2. How does a fish's vision compare to that of a human's when it comes to seeing objects above the surface of water?

A fish's vision is adapted for underwater viewing and is not as effective for seeing objects above the surface of water. This is because their eyes are designed to focus on objects that are at the same level as their eyes, rather than objects that are above or below them. Humans, on the other hand, have eyes that are better adapted for seeing objects above the surface of water due to their ability to adjust the shape of their lens.

3. Can fish see objects above the surface of water at all times?

No, fish can only see objects above the surface of water if the water is calm and clear. If the water is choppy or murky, the refraction of light is disrupted, making it difficult for fish to see anything above the water's surface.

4. Do all fish have the same ability to see objects above the surface of water?

No, different species of fish have different levels of visual acuity and adaptations for seeing objects above the surface of water. For example, some fish, such as trout, have eyes that are positioned more towards the top of their head, giving them a better view of objects above the water's surface.

5. Why do fish sometimes jump out of the water to catch a fly?

Fish jump out of the water to catch a fly because it is an efficient way for them to catch their food. When a fly lands on the water's surface, it creates vibrations that fish can detect. Jumping out of the water allows the fish to get closer to the fly and increase their chances of catching it. Additionally, fish may also jump out of the water to avoid predators or to regulate their body temperature.

Similar threads

  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
12
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
5K
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
7
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
11
Views
3K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
Replies
34
Views
4K
Replies
4
Views
1K
Back
Top