What Causes Car Reflections on Hot Roads?

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On hot days, cars appear to have reflections on the road due to a phenomenon known as a mirage. This occurs because the hot air near the ground is less dense than the cooler air above, causing light to refract upwards. Mirage effects can create images at various heights, sometimes even a hundred feet off the ground. Additionally, these inversion layers are linked to a significant number of UFO sightings. Understanding this optical illusion enhances awareness of atmospheric conditions and their visual effects.
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Why is it that on a hot day, you can see a cars reflection on the road. What is this called?
 
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It is called a mirage. IIRC, it happens because the hot air next to the ground is less dense than the cooler air above, and so light gets refracted upwards.
 
Those inversion layers are also responsible for a high percentage of UFO reports. The image can turn up anywhere within reason, such as a hundred feet off of the ground.
 

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